The Undergroundsquare Blog

Wondering if anyone reads this

2010-12-28T13:33:00.002+08:00

Hello world!

2010-09-29T21:45:00.002+08:00

OMG such a long silence. Who's still reading this blog?

Gathering Plans

2008-11-16T17:57:00.003+08:00

*Looks down at Josh's cracker advertisement*

Oh, this blog has evolved. Really really evolved.

Anyway... it's the end of the year. School holidays have started for most of us and as UGS tradition dictates that we have Gatherings and if possible, multiple gatherings.

Now the only problem is that, unlike 2-3 years ago, when we called for a gathering, the only problems we had were parental permission [in my case] and transportation [because we were poor underaged people].

This time, the biggest problem is that our members are NOT IN KUCHING.

Majority of them are in KL, a few in Australia and the rest sitting for examinations here. The rest of the rest still can't drive but that isn't that big a problem.

So, I've taken to the job of port mistress of the UGS dock. I've even drawn up a calender marked with all your individual arrival and departure dates. But, my credit is running lowwwww, and you guys aren't online as often as before [Or maybe that's just me]...so...

Please please please leave a comment, tell me when you're going where and when you're coming back.

Those that I dunno anything about yet are...

Cassandra

Jylene

Jeryl

Ling

Ravin [When was the last time you attended a gathering huh?]

Ben Ong

Ben Baru

Angel

Danny

Eric

Nicholas

Andrew

Dwen [Your NZ dates]

Paul [Your date of return]

Joshua Lim

Comment now. ASAP. Sms me if you don't want everybody to know of your comings and goings.

-Portmistress Sam.

Randomness

2008-11-15T13:23:00.001+08:00

Danone's new imported product! Jacob's very own crak!! You damn right better believe it. The original Jacob's crak's for everyone's eating pleasure.

Sungha Jung

2008-10-22T18:31:00.000+08:00

The kid's so small his nose touches the guitar when he looks at his right hand. Can you say ... cute?

Teh US Financial Crisis

2008-10-09T12:04:00.000+08:00

As explained to a 14 year old . With Pokemon cards.

Hari Raya!!!

2008-09-27T21:23:00.003+08:00

This blog is very dead.

The forum is very dead.

Exams are upon US!

*looms*

But Hari Raya first!!!

Happy [Early] Hari Raya to all the Muslim UGS-ers [Erna, Dwen...That's...it?] and everybody else who actually still visits this place!

Gathering in plans.

Contact Ced or I for more details if you're still around Kuching.

[I should turn this blog pink just to see if anybody would notice Hehehe]

[*Rubs hands together*]

20 Fun Things to Do in the Elevator

2008-09-05T17:22:00.001+08:00

I found this a feli's blog...hilarious!!

1) CRACK open your briefcase or handbag, peer Inside and ask "Got enough air in there?"

2) STAND silent and motionless in the corner facing the wall without getting off.

3) WHEN arriving at your floor, grunt and strain to yank the doors open, then act as if you're embarrassed when they open themselves.

4) GREET everyone with a warm handshake and ask him or her to call you Admiral.

5) MEOW occasionally.

6) STARE At another passenger for a while. Then announce in horror: "You're one of THEM" - and back away slowly

7) SAY -DING at each floor.

8) SAY "I wonder what all these do?" And push all the red buttons.

9) MAKE explosion noises when anyone presses a button.

10) STARE, grinning at another passenger for a while, then announce: "I have new socks on."

11) WHEN the elevator is silent, look around and ask: "Is that your beeper?"

12) TRY to make personal calls on the emergency phone.

13) DRAW a little square on the floor with chalk and announce to the other passengers: "This is my personal space."

14) WHEN there's only one other person in the elevator, tap them on the shoulder, then pretend it wasn't you.

15) PUSH the buttons and pretend they give you a shock. Smile, and go back for more.

16) ASK if you can push the button for other people but push the wrong ones.

17) HOLD the doors open and say you're waiting for your friend. After a while, let the doors close and say "Hi Greg, How's your day been?"

18) DROP a pen and wail until someone reaches to help pick it up, then scream: "That's mine!"

19) BRING a camera and take pictures of everyone in the lift.

20) PRETEND you're a flight attendant and review emergency procedures and exits with the Passengers.

21) SWAT at flies that don't exist.

22) CALL out "Group hug" then enforce it.

hiatus

2008-09-05T15:11:00.003+08:00

as some of you probably already know...

agathe of stylebytes is back!!!!

http://phiary.com/diary/stylebytes

for all of you who don't know whom i'm talking abt....just carry on with your lives.

agathe is backkkkkk yayyyy!!!

A DSLR That Shoots Video

2008-08-30T20:12:00.002+08:00

The Nikon D90. Only DSLR that does this at the moment, with all the exposure and depth-of-field control of an SLR camera. About $1300 and I'd say Nikon has the early score against Canon's EOS 50D.

Nice, much?

How To Draw Anything In One Step

2008-08-27T22:32:00.009+08:00

An ingenious solution to most drawing problems. In one step.

You may be asking, "How could you possibly learn how to draw anything and everything in just one step? Are you a moron?" And if you are, there is no need for childish name-calling. Let's be civilized adults here.

Follow along as I teach you how to draw everything, in this tutorial.

The Step?

Draw a dog covering the thing you can't draw.

Genius.

W

2008-08-23T19:57:00.001+08:00

It is amazing what Hollywood comes up with, sometimes.

On Beauty

2008-08-18T18:26:00.001+08:00

The Olympics So Far

2008-08-11T23:06:00.006+08:00

Everybody's going to be talking about badminton in a bit, so let me weigh in with the sports that I'm watching ~~alone~~.

Choi Min-Ho is GOD. I am in awe of the Judo he plays. The above throw is a te-guruma, or hand wheel, and he managed to pull it off even though Ludwig was sprawled forward. My jaw dropped open throughout the entire thing.

Oh, and it turns out Bill Gates likes Badminton. Cute pants. Hehehe.

Masato Uchishiba won the 66kg class last night, apparently by landing on the Frenchmen's head, and then choking him. Poor Darbelet tapped out. A great bunch of the Thomian judokas were talking about it this morning, and I wondered aloud how the poor guy felt winning like that.

Tonight's match (74 kg) was won with a 13 second morote-gari (double handed reap). Both Elnur Mammadli and Wang Ki-chun are 19.

Sweet. =)

Acheiving Your Childhood Dreams

2008-08-08T19:32:00.004+08:00

As of writing, the following video has 6,065,672 views on Youtube, and 20234 ratings, all of which are 5 star. The lecture is an hour long, and it is so moving and so powerful you don't really know whether to laugh or to cry.

This is Randy Pausch's last lecture, and he opens with pictures of the tumours in his liver. He is going to die, and he knows that.

Watch it.

Olympic Hopes?

2008-08-07T13:01:00.002+08:00

It's the eve of the Beijing Olympics, everybody is watching that city with anticipation, some even holding their breaths.

They've promised a spectacular visual feast and all the countries have promised to outperform each other in the competition.

Malaysia is sending a relatively small team hoping for one medal of any colour from whatever event they might garner it from.

China is aiming to prove their dominance.

America is going to defend their Champion title.

Who are YOU rooting for?

Presto And His Hat

2008-07-20T22:08:00.001+08:00

A Pixar short film. Love the rabbit.

Dr Horrible

2008-07-20T10:36:00.002+08:00

Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog is a wonderful piece of work.

There are three acts at the moment, and it's incredibly, incredibly funny. Joss Whedon (the guy behind Buffy), on the reasons behind this little project:

The idea was to make it on the fly, on the cheap – but to make it. To turn out a really thrilling, professionalish piece of entertainment specifically for the internet. To show how much could be done with very little. To show the world there is another way. To give the public (and in particular you guys) something for all your support and patience. And to make a lot of silly jokes. Actually, that sentence probably should have come first.

It's GOOD. And it's one week only. Go watch an evil genius in action and sing-along to his freeze ray.

Woohoo.

PS: and you did not hear wrong: the evil leader of the League of Villians IS a horse. Hehehehe.

of singers and songwriters

2008-06-29T20:41:00.004+08:00

my boyfriend and i were at kl urbanscapes the other day and we were watching the acoustic liveshow of mia palencia(she's a local artiste fyi) and we were planning to leave right after. Then the presentor got on stage and was ranting about the next artiste, yuna...whom he described as very talented and when he first heard her, he almost cried. curious to see whom this uber talented girl was, we stayed. yuna, got up on the stage with her guitar, clad in a tudung(head dress) and tee and what not, took just one minute to introduce herself and started playing right after. once the first line of the first song she was playing was sung, my boyfriend and i were mesmerised by her voice. it had this calm to it and this raspiness....and it was...amazing. we sat throughout her entire 5 songs(and additional 1 as the crowd asked fr an encore). she's somewhat like a malaysian corrine bailey rae crossed with meiko, with an edge. it's nice to see that the malaysian music scene has evolved and i'm very happy that theres an abundace of talent in today's young malaysian artists.

copy and paste this!

http://www.myspace.com/yunaroomrecords

sorry, blogger is being a bitch and wont link this for me. bitch.

i couldnt really find good videos of her in youtube. it pales in comparison to her live show but her myspace has pretty good recordings of her. i like backpacking around europe and deeper conversation is a crowd fav. check it out! good shiz...

Seadragon

2008-06-20T22:33:00.001+08:00

I want to do this when I grow up. Oh My God.

Check out Photosynth here. Seadragon is going to be one hell of a project. Watch it.

my humps?

2008-06-07T10:51:00.004+08:00

watch this! alanis morissette's version of my humps.

Snippets from UGS gathering 24 May 2008

2008-05-28T21:32:00.007+08:00

Over dinner at Pizza Hut:

Ced: Hey Sean, you can come over and join us, we talk about intellectual topics *cocks eyebrow and grins*

Horng Eng, Former Head Girl of her school in Form 6: I want to be a No-One in uni

Daniel hacks vigorously into pizza with the pizza-cutter,
Wen Qi: Future dentist! *grins*

At Ced's place:

Ced: Is the photo of me as a nerd still there? *Grabs framed photo of a younger, bespectacled Ced on the piano and hides*

Playing Taboo:

Someone: Hot guys…
Daniel: Gay

Zhe Rong: This is the character of bla bla bla in Bleach….
Joshua: Gin!
Ced: And how many people actually do watch Bleach?
*Zhe Rong, Joshua, Sam raises hands*

It was a Taboo game unlike any other we had thus far. There was boy and boy, whispers, stiffies, boy and boy on honeymoon, dominatrix, boy and another boy on date, touchdown, negligee..... Oh yeaaaa

Group photo time:

Sam: Sounds like a bomb detonator (referring to her new Canon dSLR set on self-timer)
Camera proceeds to take three photos in succession, crowd stares in awe
Repeats, in faster succession on second time
Ced: Okay, let’s do crazy shots
Laughter ensues as crowd attempts to change poses in split seconds

Thus ends this post with no photos because... the photos are with Sam, bug her for photos. So, yea, use your imagination. Imagine.... ^.^

Maiden post :FAIL IS TEH NEW WINZ.

2008-05-22T10:46:00.008+08:00

According to Wikipedia: Failure (fail, phail or flop) in general refers to the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective. may be viewed as the opposite of success.

Do you know why human is known as the greatest creation of god?

Because the way human fail themselves is so GODLY, its actually looks...BRILLIANT. Our ability to fail in every single field, profession and practically EVERYTHING is a WIN for us human!!!!

(heck, the fact that we spend our time finding stupid pictures and captioning FAIL on can be considered as a FAIL...or WIN depends on how you look at . Enjoying humor however, THAT'S DEFINITELY A WIN.)

All FAILS are courtesy of Failblog and English Fail.

Ps: Initially I was thinking of posting a more useful and intelligent post...to start my maiden post like this can be considered as FAIL and WIN at the same time. So people, izzit a FAIL or a WIN?

Bill Gates

2008-05-21T15:48:00.004+08:00

I bet all of you know this already, but it doesn't matter if I announced it here once again. For the first time in Malaysian history, since the 1998 Twin Towers (prehistoric news, that), we appeared on internet news tabloids around the webosphere. Malaysia is once more put on the map of the world, albeit a brief few seconds.

Apparently Bill Gates (Microsoft's founder and Galactic Emperor) appeared for a short speech in Kuala Lumpur during the World Congress of Information 2008. This is nothing unusual except for the way he did it: he appeared using a 15.1-foot holographic projection.

Mass hysteria ensued as the high-definition specter gave a speech that technology is, in fact, the future. Said the chairman, "There are one billion people who have a personal computer each but there are five billion others who don't. Microsoft also wants to reach these people." Reports state that many of the 400 strong audience bowed in worship to the Emperor.

I Stick My Tongue Out At Sam

2008-05-19T09:33:00.001+08:00

Where are the Buggers

2008-05-18T21:11:00.003+08:00

..........BUGS, what once was a thriving blog that had THIS [Read: Bigger than your nose] much potential and activity has become .... a blog akin to squashed bug. Literally. Standstill. [Apart from Tze Lun's review =P ]

So, WHY are the BUGGERS all not Bugging in BUGS? There are 19 authors in this blog. Surely SOMEBODY has the time to ..... add in something interesting. Or Uninteresting if need be?

[According to the order in the Permission List]
Zhe Rong
Studying Translation in USM, Penang.
Speaks too many languages.
Updates HIS blog frequently.

Sze Howe
Studying in Perth and Working as well.
Is a pea. Is a FO. Is never online.
Updates his blog once in a year few months.

Crystal
Studying in Singapore.
Hasn't talked to me for ages and seems to be having TONS of fun in Sg
Updates her blog Regularly.

Daniel
Currently doing nothing but got his JPA scholarship and will be leaving soon.
Is still ~~gay~~ happy all the time.
Updates his blog Semi-regularly

Danny
Studying in Swinburne.
The last time I saw him was during Debate comp.
Does not update his blog regularly.

Andrew Ho
Studying Form six in Kch Town No1.
I have neither seen nor heard from him for AGES.
Has no Blog anymore.

Joshua
Just finished Matriculation in Labuan.
Is still the same Gamer [Or so I think]
Hasn't updated his blog for 4 months.

Kenny
Studying in HELP, KL.
Lawyer in the making. Always incredibly Busy ~~socialising~~
Updates his new blog pretty regularly.
[BTW KENNY. You're technically not even part of BUGS now since you changed your Blogger Profile]

Sean
Studying in GRSS.
Has he ever gotten around to making his first post?!
His blog is darn ignored most of the time.

Paul
Studying in Swinburne.
Very Very Very busy guy from what I heard. I'm not surprised.
His blog seems to be inactive at the moment.

Me
~~Not~~ Studying in St Mary's.
Has finger in too many pies.
Updates my blog...whenever I can.

Cedric
Studying in St Thomas.
Judo-ing the other half of the time.
Updates his blogs semi-regularly.

Aldrin
Studying in Swinburne.
Doesn't have internet connection in his apartment.
Updates his blog once in a ~~year~~ few months as well. Peas *Shakes head*

Regina
Studying in Melbourne.
Used to study where Kenny did.
Inactive blog.

Jylene
Studying in KL.
Seems to be DARN happy from what I can gather.
Updates her blog Semi-regularly.

Tze Lun
Currently ~~playing with amazingly adorable kittens~~ Working in KL
Was sighted in KFC by ABKK.
Updates his blog Semi-regularly as well.

Adrogynous
I'm firing a big blank here.
Someone remind me who this is?
I feel so bad. I didn't forget you on purpose I swear!

Wen Qi
Studying in Nottingham U. in KL.
Used to be the MOST ACTIVE BUGGER.
Updates her blog semi-regularly tooooo.

Tay
Studying in St Thomas.
Haven't seen or talked to him since last gathering.
His blog is inactive.

So anyway. 19 Buggers. MIA people. Where ARE YOU?
Come. Back. And. POST!!!
Sam wants BUGS to be active again.

Speed Racer

2008-05-10T18:43:00.004+08:00

Seeing that it has been a while since anybody updated BUGS, I'll attempt a kick-start.

Speed Racer the movie was very recently released in the cinemas, and I managed to catch it not too long ago. I wasn't too keen on it at first. I've watched the original Speed Racer cartoon before (yes, I'm old) and it wasn't particularly exciting, so I wasn't expecting anything more from the movie this time around. Also, I had serious doubts of how the movie producers could take a theme like Speed Racer and effectively put it on the big screen. After all, Speed Racer wasn't known for its depth or storyline (read: there weren't any).

What I didn't realise is that Speed Racer the movie is produced Wachowski Brothers, the duo who created The Matrix Trilogy. The end result?

Quite a brilliant piece of cinematography. If you read reviews on this movie, you'll find that it wasn't very well received. Most critics gave it a mediocre score. I'm here to drop my 2 cents on what I thought about it.

I'd say, if you were to rate Speed Racer by its depth of its storyline, it'd probably fare quite badly. In all honesty, I would give it a one. Out of ten. It lacks character development. It lacks a proper storyline. It lacks the human touch.

Probably more than half the film is the result of computer-generated imagery. Half the audience in the hall I was in actually laughed in the few opening scenes because the CGI was taken to the extremes - the colour palette was brighter and more colourful than a bag of jellybeans and the law of physics was as chaotic as a monkey stampede. All these could be a very potent recipe for disaster. Could. Because the Wachowski Brothers managed to pull it off.

As cheesy as it sounds, Speed Racer was pretty engaging. What made it so odd, also made it special. The effects were funky. The action was fast-paced. The cast was solid.

The movie is not for everyone, that's for sure. It's quite unlike anything I've seen before. From a pure cinematography standpoint, Speed Racer is amazing. The same can't be said about the storyline. But that doesn't mean the movie is not engrossing. It has a very strange way of catching your attention, and it doesn't let loose of it easily.

If you're looking for a serious, intellectual movie to catch - avoid Speed Racer at all cost. You'll find nothing like that there. However, if you wouldn't mind being dragged into a bizarre world of physics-defying cars and incredibly saturated colours, check Speed Racer out.

I Don't Understand Wine

2008-04-12T23:39:00.003+08:00

This is the first time I've ever seen an actual hands-on show of all those weird things they call wine at wine testing events. Notes of early plum and smoky aftertaste? The only thing I get from wine is a burning warm feeling at the pit of my belly (and I'm saying that as a GOOD thing).

So.

Watch and learn. Totally cool way of looking at wine tasting.

How to Prepare for a Deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan

2008-04-06T17:02:00.001+08:00

Taken from A Soldier's Thoughts
1. Sleep on a cot in the garage.
2. Replace the garage door with a curtain.
3. Six hours after you go to sleep, have your wife or girlfriend whip open the curtain, shine a flashlight in your eyes and mumble, "Sorry, wrong cot."
4. Renovate your bathroom. Hang a green plastic sheet down from the middle of your bathtub and move the showerhead down to chest level. Keep four inches of soapy cold water on the floor. Stop cleaning the toilet and pee everywhere but in the toilet itself. Leave two to three sheets of toilet paper. Or for best effect, remove it altogether. For a more realistic deployed bathroom experience, stop using your bathroom and use a neighbor's. Choose a neighbor who lives at least a quarter mile away.
5. When you take showers, wear flip-flops and keep the lights off.
6. Every time there is a thunderstorm, go sit in a wobbly rocking chair and dump dirt on your head.
7. Put lube oil in your humidifier instead of water and set it on "HIGH" for that tactical generator smell.
8. Don't watch TV except for movies in the middle of the night. Have your family vote on which movie to watch and then show a different one.
9. Leave a lawnmower running in your living room 24 hours a day for proper noise level.
10. Have the paperboy give you a haircut.
11. Once a week, blow compressed air up through your chimney making sure the wind carries the soot across and on to your neighbor's house. Laugh at him when he curses you.
12. Buy a trash compactor and only use it once a week. Store up garbage in the other side of your bathtub.
13. Wake up every night at midnight and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a saltine cracker.
14. Make up your family menu a week ahead of time without looking in your food cabinets or refrigerator. Then serve some kind of meat in an unidentifiable sauce poured over noodles. Do this for every meal.
15. Set your alarm clock to go off at random times during the night. When it goes off, jump out of bed and get to the shower as fast as you can. Simulate there is no hot water by running out into your yard and breaking out the garden hose.
16. Once a month, take every major appliance completely apart and put it back together again.
17. Use 18 scoops of coffee per pot and allow it to sit for five or six hours before drinking.
18. Invite at least 185 people you don't really like because of their strange hygiene habits to come and visit for a couple of months. Exchange clothes with them.
19. Have a fluorescent lamp installed on the bottom of your coffee table and lie under it to read books.
20. Raise the thresholds and lower the top sills of your front and back doors so that you either trip over the threshold or hit your head on the sill every time you pass through one of them.
21. Keep a roll of toilet paper on your night stand and bring it to the bathroom with you. And bring your gun and a flashlight.
22. Go to the bathroom when you just have to pass gas, "just in case." Every time.
23. Announce to your family that they have mail, have them report to you as you stand outside your open garage door after supper and then say, "Sorry, it's for the other Smith."
24. Wash only 15 items of laundry per week. Roll up the semi-wet clean clothes in a ball. Place them in a cloth sack in the corner of the garage where the cat pees. After a week, unroll them and without ironing or removing the mildew, proudly wear them to professional meetings and family gatherings. Pretend you don't know what you look or smell like. Enthusiastically repeat the process for another week.
25. Go to the worst crime-infested place you can find, go heavily armed, wearing a flak jacket and a Kevlar helmet. Set up shop in a tent in a vacant lot. Announce to the residents that you are there to help them.
26. Eat a single M&M every Sunday and convince yourself it's for Malaria.
27. Demand each family member be limited to 10 minutes per week for a morale phone call. Enforce this with your teenage daughter.
28. Shoot a few bullet holes in the walls of your home for proper ambiance.
29. Sandbag the floor of your car to protect from mine blasts and fragmentation.
30. While traveling down roads in your car, stop at each overpass and culvert and inspect them for remotely detonated explosives before proceeding.
31. Fire off 50 cherry bombs simultaneously in your driveway at 3:00 a.m. When startled neighbors appear, tell them all is well, you are just registering mortars. Tell them plastic will make an acceptable substitute for their shattered windows.
32. Drink your milk and sodas warm.
33. Spread gravel throughout your house and yard.
34. Make your children clear their Super Soakers in a clearing barrel you placed outside the front door before they come in.
35. Make your family dig a survivability position with overhead cover in the backyard. Complain that the 4x4s are not 8 inches on center and make them rebuild it.
36. Continuously ask your spouse to allow you to go buy an M-Gator.
37. When your 5-year-old asks for a stick of gum, have him find the exact stick and flavor he wants on the Internet and print out the web page. Type up a Form 9 and staple the web page to the back. Submit the paperwork to your spouse for processing. After two weeks, give your son the gum.
38. Announce to your family that the dog is a vector for disease and shoot it. Throw the dog in a burn pit you dug in your neighbor's back yard.
39. Wait for the coldest/ hottest day of the year and announce to your family that there will be no heat/air conditioning that day so you can perform much needed maintenance on the heater/ air conditioner. Tell them you are doing this so they won't get cold/ hot.
40. Just when you think you're ready to resume a normal life, order yourself to repeat this process for another six months to simulate the next deployment you've been ordered to support.

Religion

2008-03-16T13:01:00.001+08:00

Russian Singer Dude

2008-02-29T12:02:00.001+08:00

Note: Yes, he has his balls intact.

Just watch it finish la hor. =)

You've Been Cute'd

2008-02-22T20:47:00.003+08:00

You know the bimbo post I did a few months ago? I've just found the ultimate QUEEN of bimbowhoring, and the thing is ... I don't think she's even Asian.

It's a mixture of annoying-ness and cuteness, and, trust me, the guys won't be able to take their eyes off her.

She's hot. And cute. And has very bad Japanese. One Youtube comment:

I think she just said:

「食堂、食べたい。」

"I want to eat a cafeteria."

I can't stop laughing. Go to her Youtube profile for more videos.

Gods That Atheist Don't Believe In

2008-02-15T18:16:00.005+08:00

Scroll down. Way down.

Finality

2008-01-19T21:44:00.000+08:00

He who is Frustrated.

Rexy Mainaky. The guy responsible for bringing Malaysian Mens Doubles up to a respectable level...actually...not only respectable, but pretty much elite.

And then it was like a switch was flipped and everything started going downhill. If put into a graph, it might be a ninety degree angle!

In Doha, he told his ~~under-performing~~ charges, that was it, he had enough of ~~watching them lose again and again and again and again and again~~ everything and that he was quitting.

BAM "talked" to him. KKBH played for their ~~careers~~ lives and won Gold. Rexy let out a long breath and allowed himself to be dissuaded from leaving.

Then...KKBH and the rest lost again. And again. And again. And again. AND again AGAIN. Therefore, now we have This!

A semi-definite resignation from a heartbroken, frustrated Rexy. Again.

Then told that he should not step down as he had done exceptionally well to raise the standard of the Malaysian doubles since taking up the job in 2004, Rexy said between sobs: “I have given my very best in coaching the Malaysian team ... I have done everything I could. Day in and day out I have worked hard with these players ... but I feel like I have failed them.
“I just do not know what else to do. Now, I just do not feel like coaching.”

Shows that he can do what KKBH can do too= Berepetitive in things that throws BAM into a state of flurry. Add in the recent problems with BJSS, the "truth" behind Li Mao's departure and the various politics within BAM itself...

What has Badminton come to? And now that Rexy is (Possibly) leaving, what will Malaysian Badminton become?

[Chong Wei is the only survivor in the finals of the Malaysian Open. Oh PLEASE may he win tomorrow against Hyun Il. Please please please please please. WMC's match today was heartbreaking. She had this nice chance in the first set and totally fell apart in the second.]

Sam is hoping.

Something "Big" Is Coming To Town

2008-01-17T11:13:00.000+08:00

Recently, I checked The Spring's website to see how's it like since it's been opened. Since I was not and am not in Kuching to have a look around the newest shopping mall in Kuching. Something caught my eye, in a very big way.

Big Apple Donuts is opening at Kuching!! Supposedly.

This may not be the best donuts available in Malaysia, I am still partial to J.Co Donuts, but this is almost just as good. Finally, there shall be donuts worth lining up for in Kuching. My goodness, I can only imagine how long the lines would be on the first day this place opens.

Ass, Girls, and Boobs.

2008-01-15T21:46:00.000+08:00

Via ifyouhavedepth. Damn, she's good.

Photogenic Much?

2008-01-05T10:27:00.001+08:00

Daniel here.

Our dearly beloved BOZZ told me that he is not photogenic and appears terrible in pictures ~~and would like all pictures ever taken of him burned~~ (added that for exasperation).

And we all know im a.....tiny......tad bit ~~infatuated~~ ~~obsessed~~ ~~crushing on~~ liking him... so I took a lot of pictures of him that New Year Eve night. For what purpose, you are better off not asking.

"OMFG I must be really bored to be reading a book titled HOW TO PLAY SQUASH"

"Mmmmm..." *suggestive inviting pose*

"You do NOT want to PLAY rough with me..."
*rawr~*

We Interrupt this Program With An Advertisement of a Half Eaten Turkey

"I like turkey..."

"OK OK stop the pictures already!!"

Get the picture?

2008-01-02T11:27:00.000+08:00

Do you see just a pile of tomatoes?

Do you see a flawed photo, colours that are not outstanding, bad lighting, bad composition?

Do you see something that makes you hungry?

Do you see a tomato that’s different among others?

Do you see what I see?

One photo, so many different possible opinions. A photo may invoke feelings in you, draw thoughts from the depths of your mind, or just be outright ignored. But when it comes down to it, it’s just a photo. It’s just whatever you make of it. Rather like life isn’t it?

On another note, another photo that would look more familiar…

Now what do you see?

Just a big group of people you do not know? Friends? A rather happy looking crowd of people? Absence of people that should be there? People you are surprised to see in the photo? Forced smiles? Good times? Cliques? Just memories?

This is the photo that represents Undergroundsquare for what it rather is like these days. I will leave you to think what you make of it.

Chinese Dramas

2007-12-26T17:30:00.001+08:00

ARE SICK.

(my sister pointed me to this. I will never look at her the same way again)

Love Thy Rabbits

2007-12-07T20:42:00.001+08:00

Burn them Crosses

2007-12-07T13:45:00.000+08:00

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: [Some unrelated stuff first] Yang Di-Pertua, I would like to touch on a matter regarding the Ministry of Education, which are Christian missionary schools like Convent, La Salle, Methodist, and so forth. I was made to understand that the Board of Directors at these schools are partially administered by churches in foreign countries, for example in the Vatican City. I was also made to understand that the application to build a ’surau’ in some of these schools had to go through the approval of these Board of Directors whereby they are partially administered by the church. Therefore, it shames me that the school administrations are still controlled by the church. I was also made to understand that many Muslim parents send their kids to these schools, and that they have complained that sometimes, the school is started with church songs. I do not know if this is true, but what I discovered from these parents are the display of religious symbols. I feel disappointed that in an Islamic country, Malaysia, if I go to a convent school, the statue of St. Mary is displayed in the front of the school.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: [Stands up]

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Please proceed, Yang Berhormat for Sri Gading.

Timbalan Yang di-Pertua [Datuk Dr. Yusof bin Yacob]: Yes, Yang Berhormat for Sri Gading.

Datuk Haji Mohamad bin Haji Aziz [Sri Gading]: I am not shocked at all, Yang Berhormat for Parit Sulong. It’s not just a simple question. The question is, why has this happened? One. During the last Hari Raya, I was told by a father, when Aidilfitri was celebrated, these types of schools were not closed. Thank you.

Tuan Syed Hood bin Syed Edros [Parit Sulong]: Not only statues, but fellow Yang Berhormat, go and see for yourselves, Christian crosses are displayed in front of schools. I do not understand the Ministry of Education, did the officers not see that, or is it our policy to allow such a thing? Nevertheless, I, as a responsible person to my religion, race, and country, I state my views that these statues need to be demolished, these crosses need to be destroyed and church influences in these schools need to be stopped. Also, the funds that are collected at these schools. Do we have a report? If possible, the ministry should reveal the funds for these schools. I was made to understand that these schools are also sponsored by the church.

This has, of course, been cleared up by our Prime Minister. Apparently, NO statues or crosses or what-nots will be abolished. But worth sharing, nontheless. I guess a temporary lapse of memory from the UMNO General Meeting when Pak Lah addressed on religious sensitivities.

Frank Herbert's Dune

2007-12-03T22:14:00.000+08:00

This book was my first adult science fiction I laid my hands on. I was eleven at that time- and the only reason I bought it was because it bore resemblance to a computer game I had played years before.

The first time I read it, it was a nightmare. Dune was a confusing, bewildering goulash of high-class words and concepts that were beyond my mind. Remember- I was only eleven, and had only finished reading the entire series of Hardy Boys and Enid Blyton. I read it three times through before everything clicked- and damned be it was superb. Heck it won the first scifi award.

Nobody can size down Dune in a single blog post. I’ve tried.

A small excerp as a teaser.

A predatory look filled the old woman's features. She lifted her hand away from the box and poised her hand close to the side of Paul's neck. He saw a glint of metal there and started to turn to it.

"Stop!" she snapped. He swung his attention back to her face.
"I hold at your neck the gom jabbar," she said. "Its a needle with a poison at its tip. Ah ah! Dont pull away or you'll feel that poison."
Paul tried to swallow in a dry throat. He could not take his attention away from the seamed old face, the glistening eyes, the pale gums around silvery metal teeth that flashed as she spoke.

"A dukes son must know about poisons, eh?" she said. "Its the way of our times. Musky, to be poisoned in your drink. Aumas, to be poisoned in your food. The quick ones and the slow ones, and the ones in between. Here is a new one for you: The gom jabbar. It kills only animals!"

Pride overcame Paul's fear. "You dare suggest a duke's son is an animal?" he demanded.

"Lets say, I suggest you may be human."

The main main main plot (for there are many main plots) revolves around the Spice, melange, a greatest substance in the history of humankind. It is a geriatric substance that changes the whole DNA make up of a persons body. It amplifies every higher senses, heightens the body’s immunogenic system, extend the human life span by hundreds of years, gives access to racial memories and enables space travel.

It enables interstellar travel by allowing Navigators to ‘see’ into the space-time continuum, and predict possible outcomes. The ship will not wallop into a star or asskick into a nebula.

Aha! But Spice can only be found on the Dessert planet Arrakis.

So he who controls Arrakis, controls the Spice, controls the future, controls humanity, controls the universe. And that’s what the whole plot is mainly about. Spice. And remember, this book was published circa 1965, so this concept was regarded as very new, and very amazing at that time. It astounded people, and it astounded me.

It wipes out most science fiction books out there on a stellar scale. Go get it in your local bookstores today! This is VERY WELL an advertisement.

Ps- I have read it fifteen times now since eleven. Not including the rest in the chronicles. Yes. Im a fanatic. And im reading it again, after SPM. Let the Spice flow!

Sensory Disarray

2007-12-03T01:28:00.000+08:00

Pardon this rather... content-less post but I honestly don't know what else to write.

Watch the video and you'll understand why.

Meow?

2007-12-02T16:13:00.000+08:00

If you have cats/dogs, you probably wonder every now and then what your pets are saying to each other. A little twitch here, a flick of the tail there..

Watch these two:

Someone decided to edit this video and added a proper conversation. Here's his hilarious take on it:

This one definitely takes the cake. 0:12 to 0:14 is so adorable!

We developed a language along the way

2007-12-01T21:09:00.000+08:00

"OMG."

I thought my ears were playing tricks on me when I heard an acquintance of mine utter those three letters one day. I thought that maybe I had been stressing too much and was beginning to hallucinate (no, seriously, the hallucinating thing has never happened to me before). And then she repeated the three magic letters again.

It got me thinking. Since when do we utter OMG in place of the phrase "oh my God" or "oh my gosh" depending on your preference. I am one who is guilty of using it in my chats and SMSes, but when someone says it out loud, it just sounds.. wrong.

I've heard of people saying LOL out loud when they want to laugh. I mean, for real? Why would anyone do that? Are the abbreviations getting too much? According to some, yes. It has created an altogether different language that youngsters use to communicate, especially online, when they try to secure whatever privacy they have away from their parents. The vocab has expanded so greatly that you and I can just come up with anything we want right now and with some networking, we'd get it out there in no time.

But will we ever get enough of these LOLs (or LAWLs, if you like it that way) and ROTFLMAOs? How much is too much?

Will we all begin to say LOL instead of laugh for real in the near future?

Till then, oh am gee.

The Brands Conspiracy

2007-11-30T08:20:00.000+08:00

About two weeks before SPM, there was a little rigmarole in my class on the types of "additional health benefit" supplements we would be taking on the exam mornings. The idea was that, we needed stamina and energy to continuously vomit out vast amounts of information in a limited time span- and unless we SPMers suddenly discovered new found powers to break the space-time continuum and bend time to our advantage, stamina was not coming the cheap way.

There were talks of Power Bars, Liquid Carbohydrates, Nutrilite Double X, Ginseng Extract, Birds Nest Soup, my mummy's secret recipe cordycep soup, and even drinking glucose (not advisable). But the most popular of them all, was Brands Chicken Essence.

Yes, you've heard about it. Heck, 99% of you out there have tasted it at least once in your life. However, I was never a stickler for these types of fuss- I never did Brands Chicken Essence for UPSR or PMR. It was eggs in the morning, and period. I imagine I was quite proud for the fact that "I do not need any commercialized antics to keep me awake during exam."

Then, I became a little worried. About everyone in my class had agreed on Brands. Brands suddenly became their number one idol. Hold on, let me rephrase that. It was like a religion and they hailed that tiny bottle of black fluids as the water of life.

I did a little internet research, then, on what exactly Brands was about. Friends kept on commenting about how AWAKE and ALIVE and ENERGETIC they felt after drinking the potion. It wasn't that I did not believe them, I did. But after watching too much of House and his psychological dependence of Vicodin I was, lets say, a bit of a skeptic.

Total number of students sitting for public exam:
SPM: 439,255
PMR: 400,000 (not exact)
UPSR: 400,000 (not exact)

Being generous, I imagine 25% of this number took Brands. So its 309813 students. A case of Brands costs RM30. So Brands makes an estimate of RM9,214,412 (thats nine million) a year, on exam students only. And were not even talking about those who drink it on a regular basis for... health reasons.

Then I combed the internet for health benefits. I got absolutely nothing other that the fact that its made of chicken. So what does chicken have to do with my metabolism and stamina? Maybe Proton should come up with the concept of the Brands Chicken Essence Car. No, now i'm just talking nonsense.

So peer pressure kicked in, even without evidence to support much. I decided to add a little bit to that statistic of students donating to Brands annual profit. But I didn't know how I was going to ask my mum... like I said, I never did potions.

I trotted off to my mum and asked her "Erh.. mum.. for SPM can I drink Brands in the morning or not?"

My mum stared at me, and said "Where are your eyes? I bought two cases three weeks ago already and its been sitting on the dining room table ever since. You think I dont care about you, issit?"

Swt.

So does anyone here take Brands for examinations?

Protons Islamic Car Concept

2007-11-27T17:37:00.000+08:00

An interesting bit of news made the middlelines (as opposed to headlines?) in todays The Star.

After embarrassing encounters with Germans Volkswagen recently, and a jaw dropping 30.4% drop in sales from 2006, it seems that Proton has come up with what they call a "solution" to their problems. One would say they have found their golden egg.

Try not laughing.

The Islamic Car
"Malaysia, together with Iran and Turkey, plans to produce this car concept for the global market. It is expected to have features such as a compass Kiblat, and special compartments for keeping the Quran and scarves. Proton might have found a new niche here."

Absolutely ridiculous. Most European automobiles already have GPS that can determine the Kiblat with a press of a finger- and Proton plans to delve back into the middle ages with a compass. Plus, every other car in the *cough* global market *cough* HAS compartments. I wonder how these special compartments are going to be.

How do you solat in a car, anyway?

Who knows. It might just work. A marketing gimmick that might just absolutely work.

"How does having a compass Kiblat reading and compartments for the Quran make the proposed so-called Islamic car fundamentally distinct from all other cars?"

Nothing. They better come up with something better. Innovate, damn it.

Yes. Proton is indeed a Hen that has laid it golden egg.

We call those kinds of hens... chicken.

My Early Muir Owl

2007-11-27T14:56:00.000+08:00

My Early Muir Owl is an anagram of Will You Marry Me.

Love At First Sight Does Exist

2007-11-27T14:45:00.000+08:00

Not so long ago one dude in New York had a James Blunt moment: he saw the girl of his dreams on a subway train. The funny thing about all of this, is, of course, that most people don't believe in Love At First Sight. I'm wondering if this guy did, because what he did next was surprising.

He created a website. It consisted of a single illustration, and he asked people if they had seen this girl. The website spread through word of mouth.

One day a girl saw his description, matched it with that of her friend, and hooked the two of them up.

I wonder what's become of two of them. Here's to wishing them the best. Because, just sometimes, happy endings do happen.

Maybe Mr T IS Handy With Computers

2007-11-27T14:33:00.000+08:00

Review of SPM

2007-11-26T16:00:00.000+08:00

As the first batch (ie guinea pig batch) taking Science and Maths in English, I have decided that it is almost obligatory that I write a sort of review on this years Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia. Lets backtrack in time- 2003 was the year where our former ~~Dictatorial Figurehead~~ Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad introduced a new policy whereby English became the mainstream language in science stream studies.

Claps and standing ovations resounded among those who
1. Use English as their medium of speech
2. Think in English
3. Were fairly proficient in the language.

I cant find any statistics for English proficiency in Malaysia, but Id venture a good extimate- less than half are below average. Hard core Chinese population, half the bumis and basically every Malay in Semenanjung. (Anyway, If we could score in Malay back then, I dont see why they cant score in English now)

So, have the standards increased, so that results drop to an all new low and our ever powerful Hishamuddin will have yet another excuse to return the syllabus back to the previous Bahasa Kebangsaan? The language of our country. The language of our heritage.

Or have the standards decreased, in ~~hope for the coming elections~~ hope that results would double up the score ladder.

Standard:Decreased like falling down a 69 storey building

Things were fairly normal for the core subjects: you have the normal not-being-able-to-finish-in-bloody-time for Moral Education, writing-like-the-speed-of-light-t- get-that-4pages-limit Malay Essay, dozing during English Paper, and not even caring for Maths.

Its the Science subjects that were incredibly stupid.

Objective papers were incredible no brainers. Half the class was dozing by the 10th minute, the other half checking through again. For my biology paper I went through the darn thing five or six times.

For Chemistry, Biology, Physics... there are actually questions where you UNDERLINE the correct answer. IN SUBJECTIVE!

NaOH / KCL + HCL - NaCL + H2O

A leaf floats in water because of surface tension of water / higher density.

A skin is part of the integumentary system / reproductive system.

What are we. Kindergarten students?

Anyone who has taken Biology in SPM will attest to the fact that it is one of the hardest to score. The amount of information, its Sejarah all over again in English- only with hormones. Well guys- the format changed, without any prior notice.

Paper 2 Biology
Section A- 6 Questions
Section B- 4 Questions (choose ANY two)

They actually scrapped off a whole section! (Section C)

Plus, they made the questions so general there was even time to do extras. In my mock exams you did the paper, chun, finish on time cant even check again. For SPM science subjects you do a couple of extras and you even have time to check through the paper... twice.

SPM was a sucker. Looks like Government lowered the standard tremendously.

PS- I dont get why they lowered the standard. Just make it as tough as it can get, and then lower down the differentiation gradient for a pass or an A1 score. Either way, English wins. =D

When UGS-ers get ahold of Guns

2007-11-19T20:10:00.000+08:00

One day, after stuffing full with dim sum and everything else that can be ordered in Joyous Shanghai, the UGS'ers who attended decided to go for a jog to jog all the calories off.

But not everybody agreed. So we decided to go for a walk.

But there was nowhere to walk. So Jylene suggested we SLEEP it off.

But no bed was big enough. So she suggested we go to the beach and PLAY it off.

But the beach was too far. So we decided to just go home.

But that would mean all eat no exercise which would make us fat. So in the ~~blardy~~ end, we DROVE (We meaning those UGS-ers who hold valid Drivers license and have their car under insurance) to Hock Lee Center to SHOP all the excess calories off.

After us girls (Jyl, Nic, Vivian and myself) scoured all the boutiques on the lower floor, we ended up in the arcade. It was there when the innocent members of UGS were exposed to the dangers of guns.

*From here out on, everything is FICTIONAL*

(Fictional means NOT real. Fictional does NOT mean NON-fictional)

Josh careless mentioned to Cedric who was suffering from eattoomuchiritis when they were playing ~~some bang-bang games~~ Time Crisis 3 that he was picking up his Macbookpro later on .

Eattoomuchiritis is a chronic disease that makes the patient extremely prone to mood swings and suicidal ~~because they think they're fat~~. All of this mostly in a space of 20 minutes or less. People suffering from eattoomuchiritis should never be put in vicinity of a gun or any other weapon that can be used to harm anybody else.

Cedric holds Josh at Gunpoint. He REALLY wants that Apple product that'd go PERFECTLY with his Nano.

Josh does not relent. Why on earth would he give his precious baby to Cedric?!

Ahah! The pro's of being ambushed in an Arcade would be the abundant supply of artilleries!

Cedric suddenly realises, he cannot win. Josh has his own personal record of completing time crisis 3 within two tokens. He can play it single-handedly. How can Ced be more than 300 figures on screen?!

But...problem is, Ced has never even THOUGHT of suicide until now ~~when Sam makes him think of it in pink fonts~~ . Where to shoot?! How to shoot?! Pull the trigger once or twice?!

Then, suddenly a light shines down from up above. Clarity floods Cedric, he is liberated, enlightened, empowered, having a friggin REVELATION. ~~Steve Jobs~~ A voice whispers into Cedric's ear and tells him.

"Cedric, pull the trigger 321 times if you will, but the only way somebody will die today, is if you aim at the black screen."

Cedric gets the message, loud and clear.

Cedric has learned how to use his gun.

(This post was a joke Cedric! I swear I mean nothing by it! NOTHING!!!)

=)

Sam says, THE END.

4 Blogging Styles I Really Like

2007-11-15T16:04:00.000+08:00

1. Quaintly

Pinkpau/Su Ann's forte are her rants. Her thoughts unfold like paper butterflies on a digital canvas, and her prose is perfectly constructed, the kind you find in Booker shortlisters. Her words exude beauty: hair on the shower floor, braindust spiraling in the air. And her posts on Martian, her boyfriend, are a marvelous substitution for Chick Lit.

2. Dooce

Dooce is one of the few personal bloggers who make big money in the blogosphere. She's very good at taking tiny snippets of her life: random occurrences, minor incidences with her daughter, and she imbues them with life, wit, and good writing. These little snippets are like rays slicing into her life, allowing you an all-too-brief-a-look through her eyes.

3. Kamigoroshi

Edrei writes with absolute honesty. His posts are reflective, thoughtful ... though occasionally he writes things that make you smile. Some people think he's a girl, from the way his blog reads - but what he does well is that he takes the time to tell you not just what happened, but why it is important: to you, and to him.

4. Jonas Gumis

No kidding. Jonas has a good sense of storytelling - he times and paces his narrative, so even boring old events like St Jo's sports day come alive in his hands. I like it that he's naturally funny, and he can put on a lighthearted spin on serious topics. A downside to this is that my plug will probably boost his ego to stratospheric heights ... but at least he'll give us a laugh in the process, won't he?

Notice that I've left out Smashpop and Kenny Sia. I find they write too little, and their pictures do their talking for them. It's not a bad style of blogging, really, but it's just not my kind of thing.

Which probably explains why all of the above blogs are well written, well thought out affairs. What kinds of blogs are your favourites?

Democracy

2007-11-15T13:45:00.000+08:00

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

Really ahh? That one Mr V in V for Vendetta say one ... is just a movie right? No real in the real world? How can! Garmen so scary and big wan. Got sodomy trail if you try anything. Shouldnt they be strong strong so can keep order wan?

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States, wrote the above words in a letter to William S. Smith in 1787. It became the basis of the 2nd amendment: that all Americans would have the right to arms; the right to guns.
The founding fathers apparently believed in a strong control to the government. The first control is that of what Thomas Carlyle calls the Fourth Estate. Jeffrey Archer makes the following observation in his novel of the same name:

"In May 1789, Louis XVI summoned to Versailles a full meeting of the 'Estate General'. The First Estate consisted of three hundred clergy. The Second Estate, three hundred nobles. The Third Estate, six hundred commoners. Some years later, after the French Revolution, Edmund Burke, looking up at the Press Gallery of the House of Commons, said, 'Yonder sits the Fourth Estate, and they are more important than them all.'"

But what Jefferson believed was this: a well armed populace which is not afraid to turn on its government is the ultimate check and balance.

God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. ... And what country can preserve its liberties, if it's rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

It is its natural manure.

It is a scary thought, especially for us Malaysians, who practice a watered down form of democracy.

Lest we forget: democracy does not mean just elections. It means a government of the people, by the people, for the people, with a multitude of checks and balances in place to ensure the fair use of power, and justice, and peace.

We have a long way to go.

Note: I do not support the 2nd amendment, and I disagree with many elements of the American democracy. However, the purpose of this post is to show that there is more to the concept of democracy than elections, and the entire idea of "We are a democratic country, we are not like Myanmar or Pakistan because we hold erections once every 4 years" is ridiculous.

Less Updates.......

2007-11-14T20:44:00.000+08:00

This blog is getting less update. Last time, we can see an update at least once in two days. Now, we can expect only one post in a week. I think this syndrome started few months ago.

Anyway, Tay just updated the blog today. A very unusual move by him. He seldom update his blog, what to say UGS blog... haha..

Where are the frequent contributers/updaters?? Sam and Wandkey?? For Sam, maybe she blog less because of PMR but the PMR has ended but still no post from her... Wandkey? Busy with university things, i suppose....

And the others? Only got comments from them but no post.... sighs....

Perhaps should just shut down this blog??? hahahha.... i'm just joking.....

Cuppy Cake Song

2007-11-13T18:00:00.000+08:00

This song was uploaded to the Internet in 1996 and became an Internet phenomenon. From youtube:

No lip-syncing here folks, This is the REAL DEAL!: The original 1994 video of "The Cuppycake Song" (words and music by Judianna Castle) being recorded by the original artist (our daughter, Amy at age 3) in our home studio.

Although there were many takes of the song during the session, this was the one that made it onto our BALLOONS children's CD(www.cdbaby.com/buddycastle)and the one which has generated so much interest on the internet.

Since uploading "The Cuppycake Song" to the web in 1996, it has truly taken on a life of it's own. On You Tube alone, there are currently at least 1,000 videos using this song! In the last ten years we have received thousands of unsolicited comments from people of all ages across the US and many countries around the world who have been touched by this simple song and the tiny voice that sings it.

Now at last, you can see the face that goes with the voice. This should finally put to rest the false rumor that the song was sung by Strawberry Shortcake.
To read some of the many listener comments and to see additional photos of Amy, please visit us at www.cuppycake.com

Cute.

I'm Never Going To Complain About Kenny's Driving Again

2007-11-03T19:22:00.000+08:00

This is a woman driver. She is driving at a very slow speed. She makes Kenny look like Michael Schumacher.

Classic.

I feel like doing a redesign

2007-10-28T01:22:00.000+08:00

Yeah, so I'm going to follow Andrew Ho and post up a very short post. But I'm tired of the BUGS design. And so here I am, at 1 in the morning, asking for your opinion. What do you want to see in BUGS 2.0?

Note: I have 3 other blogs to redesign first, so I cannot give a deadline. But rest assured it will be done. I'm itching.

Few Things That Make People Do Supid Things

2007-10-27T22:57:00.001+08:00

When you are angry, when you are horny, when people write one sentence blog and make you read. What more?

Malaysia's Internal Affair/Crisis!

2007-10-26T15:43:00.002+08:00

As i have said in my blog, i want to comment on the issues that are concerning our beloved bolehland, Malaysia. First, i wanna talk about our first angkasawan/astronaut/cosmonaut/spaceflight participant, then the lingam video tape or lingam-gate scandal, the independent of the judiciary, the parliament and the general elections.

First, let us talk about the first Malaysian in space. Dr. Sheikh Muzzaphar Shukor, is our country's first man to go to space. He is also the first South-East Asian to go to space. Well, how proud are you, as a malaysian? The Russian called him a cosmonaut, the NASA called him a space flight participant and the Malaysian government insisted that he is indeed a angkasawan. Astronaut is the same meaning as Cosmonaut. Cosmonaut term is used by the Russians. The angkawan term is also the same with astronaut and cosmonaut.

Perhaps he will be conferred a Datuk-ship. This is Malaysia's style. There are many controversies surrounding the angkasawan project.

It all started in year 2003, when the Malaysian government agreed to buy 18 units of Sukhoi Su-30MKM. As part of the deal, the Russian government agreed to send a malaysian into the space in 2007. The cost is estimated to be US$900 million! Each unit cost about US$33-45million according to wikipedia. I think it is better to purchase F-16 fighting falcon as it is much cheaper than Su-30MKM. But US$900 million is too much. The money can be used for other projects, such as repairing the lousy roads across the country! There are many potholes in the country, and yet we spent millions to send a man into the space! What is this all for? The money can be used for other development projects as well! Look, the government spent more than the revenue generated for 11 consecutive years(budget deficit).

The exact figure for sending the man to space was never revealed. However, it is indeed very costly and they are planning to send 2nd man to space again.

Next, let's talk about the videotape scandal. This is not a pornographic videotape. This is not an anime's videotape. This is the arrangement in appointing judges. The Federal Constitution made it clear that it is only the DYMM YDP-Agong as the only one who can appoint judges(with the recommendations by the Chief Justice) and Chief Judge of Malaya, Sabah & Sarawak and Chief Justice of Malaysia acting on the advice of the PM and Conference of Rulers. Unfortunately, this is not the case. It is a prominet lawyer who recommend who to appoint as CJM(Chief Judge of Malaya). Well, i'm not a law student, so correct me if i am wrong in some facts. The video is quite funny. Watch at youtube for it! Do you know the Watergate Scandal that forced US. Pres. Nixon to resign from office? Let's see if this lingamgate scandal can force the CJ to resign.

After Anwar Ibrahim released the videotape, the government immediately form a 3-man Independent Panel to check the authenticity of the videotape. The Malaysian Bar Council organised a 'Walk from Justice' from the Palace of Justice to the PM's Department. There are thousands of lawyers and supporters took part in the march. They all wore black and white attire. The Bar Council demanded a formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry, as it has more power to investigate the scandal. And it is true that the Independent Panel failed miserably to deliver. The Bar Council's Pres Ambiga Srenevesan infamous quote:

"Lawyers don't walk everyday. Not even every month. Not even every year. But when they walk, then something must be very wrong."

I really admire the United States's Congress. They are very powerful. They can reject Pres. Bush's application for War funding. The Republicans and Democrats are free to vote in any motion. They have the senate committee. The Senate Committee can conduct any inquiry or investigation, such as the blackwater shooting in Iraq, the 1998 former Pres. Clinton's sex scandal that nearly kicks him out from office, the then 13yrs old girl who was sexually abused and many more.
If our Parliament can act professionally like this and have this power, it is really great!

Next, let's talk about the fairness or Independent-ness of the Judiciary. I don't believe it they are 100% independent. Lina Joy's attempt to leave her former religion has failed in the highest court, the Federal Court. She was denied her freedom of religion, as guaranteed in the Federal Constitution, on Article 11. 'Every person has the right to profess and practice his religion.'

But lately, there are a number of lawsuits against the government are success. First, a former ISA's detainee was awarded RM2.5mil in the suit against the police and government. Then, the news just came in, Irene Fernandes was awarded Rm200k in her suit against an UMNO-owned daily. These judges who attend those cases are indeed independent and fair. One more lawsuit was filed 2 days ago. I believe there will be more and more suits will be filed in the future!

Next, let's talk about the General Elections. Many believe that it will be held after the General Assembly of UMNO. Oh yea, let's hope the delegates won't make any racist comments or statements during the assembly! Let's hope the keris will not be waved against other races.
Next year, i believe the fuel price will increase, at least by 10-20sen per litre. Toll rates will go up as well. Thus, the transportation costs will increase. Then, the price of goods will increase! This is called 'cost push inflation' in Economics. By then, perhaps a normal bowl of Kolo Mee will cost Rm3++!

The inflation rate is rising, and on April, Anwar will be eligible to contest. With the inflation, the people will get angry and the votes will swing to the opposition. So it does make sense that the GE will be called before the toll and fuel price hike. They will not be that stupid to repeat the mistake in the 2006 Sarawak State Election. It is like smacking your head with a hammer.

The question is, what is the date of GE and how many seats the opposition will grab! For sure, the landslide victory for BN in 2004 GE will not be repeated this time. The opposition should be able to win at least 45-50 seats. Perhaps the elections will be held later this year or early next year before they increase the fuel price and toll.

Signing off now...... Izzit ok to post socio-political stuffs in the UGS blog??
*kenny, our posts are equal now?

Dumbledore Is Gay

2007-10-20T18:16:00.000+08:00

On behalf of Cedric who is too horror stricken to even lift a finger to blog. Source: BBC

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has revealed that one of her characters, Hogwarts school headmaster Albus Dumbledore, is gay.

"Dumbledore is gay," she said, adding he was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, who he beat in a battle between good and bad wizards long ago.
"Falling in love can blind us to an extent," she said, and added Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down" and his love for Grindelwald was his "great tragedy".

Hello there friends, families, closet perverts. I am quite sure that you understand the horrific events that have brought us here today. Dumbledore. Love of the magical world. Greatest wizard of all time. The embodiment of all things good and true. He who so valiantly gave up his life for Harry Potter and the Wizarding World.

Absolutely Gay.

I dont know about you but this scares me. As Jk Rowling so aptly puts it:

"Oh, my god," Rowling, 42, concluded with a laugh, "the fan fiction".

3rd UGS Badminton Gathering

2007-10-20T16:29:00.000+08:00

We've lost count of the gatherings that UGS members have held. Oh dear. I have to admit. We've really come a long way from the First gathering that was held. Eight people attended the first gathering. After that, the average number of members attending gatherings have risen steadily to 13.

The first gathering took so much persuasion. The latest gathering took a few msn msgs, a few smses and a few calls (Okay, so maybe ONE person in particular took more persuasion than the rest lol). UGS has really become a very tight knit community and I'm very very happy and proud of that =D Big cheers to admins Ced, Kenny and Wen Qi. And the ever supportive members! All. Of. Them. Not forgetting those who AREN'T members...but came anyway!

Okay. So on Wednesday, the third Badminton Gathering was held at Stapok again following the success of the first two. Here and here (Ced had Green/Yellow hair in this one haha!). A total of...13 people showed up. And all thirteen of them played!

It was scheduled to start at 12 until 2. I woke up at 11.30 because Nic called my house. Was in a flurry to get ready and ended up in my mums car instead of Nics as originally planned. Reached Stapok one minute before 12 and saw Vivian and Jasper whom my mum thought were together (rotfl) =D

I went down to greet them and got a chance to flip through the Lodge Magazine. The Azam winner was from LODGE! *Jaw drops* And there was a lot of posing in the magazine haha. Andrew Ho arrived soon after followed by Lai and then Nic, Lina and Zareth. After them was Josh, Ced, Tay, Benjamin and Josh Lim.

The gathering begun a little after twelve and once again we were in Court B. Contrary to Joshua's belief, I did NOT ask Jasper and Lai to play with him and Andrew to mensiasoikan him. ;)

The presence of two SBA players didn't affect anything, badminton was played, new friendships were forged, new people attended their first Gathering, Laughter was...laughed, Strings were broken. Badminton Gatherings are definitely getting livelier even without the presence of Taboo!

The gathering ended at around 2.30 which shows that 2 hours is not enough for us. Will have to extend gathering hours next time. One thing still remains the same though. No matter how many gatherings we have (And I think it's safe to say we've passed the 20 mark)....One thing STILL remains the same.

The troubles that arise when it comes to take group photos. Shout. Dash. Run.

Sigh.

Sam enjoys Badminton.

Math genius in action:

2007-10-12T20:44:00.001+08:00

Watch this genius!!!

ta

Just sharing =)

Bread and Dollor Notes.

2007-10-11T16:57:00.000+08:00

In the bread shop with family

We walked in briming with confidence, with a trail of fire and glory blazing in our wakes. The silent air reverberated with bristling electric power; the foundations of the bakery shook and trembled even as we entered its domain. The Gods looked down, and they FEARED.

We were a family on a mission- buy bread, and escape before they hunt us down!

We looked around after our prime targets, sausage buns and country bread. The lady in black at the counter watched our every movement obliquely, as though suspicious, as though we were something else other than normal human beings. After quickly picking our selective pieces, we proceeded to the counter.

My father (who declines to be named) took out a few notes and gave it to the lady.

She counted it.

Then she sniffed suspiciously, and looked up.

Horror gripped our hearts, and fear settled down like a heavy cloud. Were we found out? Had it all been for nothing?! The door slammed shut... the lights blacked out... a shrill scream... and then...

Nothing.

Actually, my dad accidentally paid in a US dollar note. ISH.

Rain

2007-10-09T19:38:00.000+08:00

Random Things To Cheer Me Up

2007-10-07T18:35:00.001+08:00

iPod beater, you think?

*

Conversations real vs imagined

(from collegehumour):
Imagined
HOT MUSCULAR ISRAELI LOCKSMITH INSTALLING MY DEADBOLT: So you live here alone?
ME: No.
HMILIMD: You live with roommate?
ME: No, boyfriend.
HMILIMD: Oh, that’s too bad. You are hot.
ME: Oh, thank you. ( I cast my eyes down as if he’s embarrassing me)
HMILIMD: I want to stop screwing in this bolt and screw you right here on your sofa.
ME: I’m sorry I’m can’t. I’m spoken for.
HMILIMD: But I must have you NOW.
ME: No, you have to control yourself! Please, put your shirt back on!
HMILIMD: I beg you, if you won’t let me screw you on your sofa right now, then at least let me install this lock for you without wearing a shirt.
ME: Okay, I guess that’s fair.

Actual
HMILIMD: So you live here alone?
ME: No.
HMILIMD: You live with roommate?
ME: No, boyfriend.
HMILIMD: Me too.

They don't make grandmothers like that in Malaysia.

English In Foreign Countries

2007-10-07T18:29:00.000+08:00

Got this from an email.

In a Bangkok temple:

"IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER A WOMAN, EVEN A FOREIGNER IF DRESSED AS A MAN."

Cocktail lounge, Norway:

"LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR."

At a Budapest zoo:

"PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS. IF YOU HAVE ANY SUITABLE FOOD, GIVE IT TO THE GUARD ON DUTY."

Doctors office, Rome:

"SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES."

Hotel, Acapulco:

"THE MANAGER HAS PERSONALLY PASSED ALL THE WATER SERVED HERE."

Information booklet about using a hotel air conditioner, Japan:

"COOLES AND HEATES: IF YOU WANT JUST CONDITION OF WARM AIR IN YOUR ROOM, PLEASE CONTROL YOURSELF."

Dry cleaners, Bangkok:

"DROP YOUR TROUSERS HERE FOR THE BEST RESULTS."

In a Nairobi restaurant:

"CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER."

On a poster at Kencom:

"ARE YOU AN ADULT THAT CANNOT READ? IF SO, WE CAN HELP."

In a City restaurant:

OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS.

One of the Mathare buildings:

"MENTAL HEALTH PREVENTION CENTRE."

A sign seen on an automatic restroom hand dryer:

"DO NOT ACTIVATE WITH WET HANDS."

In a Pumwani maternity ward:

"NO CHILDREN ALLOWED."

In a cemetery:

"PERSONS ARE PROHIBITED FROM PICKING FLOWERS FROM ANY BUT THEIR OWN GRAVES."

Tokyo hotel's rules and regulations:

"GUESTS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SMOKE OR DO OTHER DISGUSTING BEHAVIOURS IN BED."

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:

"OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR."

In a Tokyo bar:

"SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS."

Hotel brochure, Italy:

"THIS HOTEL IS RENOWNED FOR ITS PEACE AND SOLITUDE. IN FACT, CROWDS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD FLOCK HERE TO ENJOY ITS SOLITUDE."

Hotel lobby, Bucharest:

"THE LIFT IS BEING FIXED FOR THE NEXT DAY. DURING THAT TIME WE REGRET THAT YOU WILL BE UNBEARABLE."

Hotel elevator, Paris:

"PLEASE LEAVE YOUR VALUES AT THE FRONT DESK."

Hotel, Yugoslavia:

"THE FLATTENING OF UNDERWEAR WITH PLEASURE IS THE JOB OF THE CHAMBERMAID."

Hotel, Japan:

"YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID."

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery:

"YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT THE CEMETERY WHERE FAMOUS RUSSIAN AND SOVIET COMPOSERS, ARTISTS, AND WRITERS ARE BURIED DAILY EXCEPT THURSDAY."

Taken from a menu, Poland:

"SALAD A FIRM'S OWN MAKE; LIMPID RED BEET SOUP WITH CHEESY DUMPLINGS IN THE FORM OF A FINGER; ROASTED DUCK LET LOOSE; BEEF RASHERS BEATEN IN THE COUNTRY

PEOPLE'S FASHION."

Supermarket, Hong Kong:

"FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, WE RECOMMEND COURTEOUS, EFFICIENT SELF-SERVICE."

From the "Soviet Weekly":

"THERE WILL BE A MOSCOW EXHIBITION OF ARTS BY 15,000 SOVIET REPUBLIC PAINTERS AND SCULPTORS. THESE WERE EXECUTED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS."

In an East African newspaper:

"A NEW SWIMMING POOL IS RAPIDLY TAKING SHAPE SINCE THE CONTRACTORS HAVE THROWN IN THE BULK OF THEIR WORKERS."

Hotel, Vienna:

"IN CASE OF FIRE, DO YOUR UTMOST TO ALARM THE HOTEL PORTER."

Two signs from a Majorcan shop entrance:

- - ENGLISH WELL TALKING.

- - HERE SPEECHING AMERICAN.

Meow

2007-10-05T21:17:00.001+08:00

PMR is over, F3's will be back in full swing around UGS I expect. (I hope) ~~I demand~~ The other day, I went to my mums school with my camera in hand. Unexpectedly, the cat that lives there wasn't out socializing around the neighborhood with her kittens. She was sitting there. Alone.

So I decided to take pictures of her. She was gorgeous. What can I say? The camera loves her!!! The parallels between her and Puss from Shrek are undeniable. They both do the Cute stare thing with their huge eyes.

After a few pictures, I realized...this is one photogenic cat. *Reviews photos* she's POSING FOR ME! She was staring straight into the lens in most of the pictures!

Okay, so maybe it was because she was fascinated by me my camera. Or maybe it was warning signals that she sent through her eyes saying *Go away*.

She was yawning kay!

I squatted there for at least 5 minutes and she just sat there. Staring in my general direction. She changed her position once. And then continued to stare.

Cat Trivia!!! Cats' hearing is much more sensitive than humans and dogs.
Ailurophilia is the "love of cats." Cats have three eyelids
Almost 10 percent of a cats bones are in its tail Cats have thirty teeth. Kittens have baby teeth which are replaced by permanent fangs at around seven months of age. If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. If her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed --- Time to distance yourself from her.

Sam likes ~~kittens~~ cats.

Halo 3

2007-10-05T10:47:00.000+08:00

Radiohead Releases New Album. Price? Up 2 U

2007-10-04T15:45:00.000+08:00

Jylene recently did a Radiohead review for The Square, and a recent news item caught my eye: they have a new album. They're going sans label, and you can have it two ways: the first is by buying the physical box set, which costs £40.00, no matter where you live in the world. The second is by download, off their website. Cost? Up to you.

According to a spokesperson for the band, most are paying the normal price for an album (~£10) and few are going for ~£0.01. Downloads start 10 October. I've placed my pre-order. £0.00.

This is radical. No record label, no big brouhaha in music stores worldwide. You can pay anything you like ... I wonder if they accept used undies?

Let's see how this turns out. Those of you interested, place your pre order here. The site rocks.

Art and Engineering

2007-09-28T20:59:00.000+08:00

I know this is a BMW ad, but I've been thinking about the parallels between the two lately. Especially since the arts vs science in Malaysian schools debate has reared its ugly head in my mind once again. I love arts - I write and I read and who says music and wine and food isn't enjoyable? But I'm stuck in science, because it's the proper thing to do.

Then I watched this video, and my breath is knocked out of me. Here is good science, compressed and tested and made beautiful. The wind, given form and tangible movement. Theo Jansen is a genius.

*PS: That machine there is called a strandbeest. A contraption that runs on wind. Wonderful.

The Silver Lining: Why Life Is Worth Living

2007-09-23T23:14:00.000+08:00

Because at times when you really would rather do what’s on the left than the right.

Brock's Microbiology and Sherwood's Human Physiology look nice on my table.

Because when you get frustrated at how things end up.

Laundry isn't meant to be dried like this in a normal world. Then again, I'm grateful I even have clothes to wear.

Got so fed up with cafeteria food some people and I made this with minimal ingredients. Marginally better than normal fare these days.

There’s still always The Silver Lining.

Just an hour or so away after a looong, tiring journey lies CIVILISATION!! This is how I regain my sanity.

Destressing in under 5 minutes

2007-09-23T16:15:00.000+08:00

Do you believe in fairy tales?

And what do girls really do behind closed doors?

Gotta love those dummies.

After...

2007-09-14T13:19:00.001+08:00

And so I thought it was time to introduce

Foreshadow to my BM karangan

Sweet sweet apple...

2007-09-13T12:20:00.000+08:00

Can you

believe it!?

The MbP is super fine and it's really fun. User friendly and obviously a beauty if i can say so myself. The keypad layout is simple and yet sophisticated. It even lights up under low light conditions! The colour is plain but still attractive, pulling glances from anyone who's caught a glimpse of it. The hardware and software installed on this baby are awesome and the specs, just nice. That's the general idea of the MbP and oh my gawd am i enjoying it. Who wouldn't! At least now with this I can post more often. No more waiting for my turn at the library! Yipee! Lalalala...=)

The Undergroundsquare blog never looked so good.(took the pic from my frinds hp cam)

Perfect.

I am gonna marry nothing but a blond

2007-09-09T00:36:00.000+08:00

I personally believe that U.S Americans are unable to do so because, some people out there in our nation, don't have maps. And I believe that our education such as South Africa and uh, the Iraq and everywhere like such as, I believe that they should our education over here! And the US. Should help the US, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian Countires so we will be able to build up our future for our children.

This is what I think she was thinking, wait.......... let me put it this way

I personally believe that the U.S Teen Pageant were unable to answer the question properly because some people out there in the nation don't have brains. And I believe she is one of them.

Hahahhahahahaha, okay, okay, don't be all defensive and all that, I know she was nervous and it was a blooper, I am just kidding, I am not a pig. Don't BBQ me.

Seriously, I think what was on her mind was:

I personally believe that U.S Americans are unable to do so because, some people out there in our nation, don't have maps. And I believe countries such as South Africa and the Iraq and everywhere like such as, should follow our education over here! And the US. should help South Africa, the Iraq and the Asian Countires. So we will be able to build up our future for our children.

But I still don't have any idea why she said that.

While Interview in BBC The Today Show, she mentioned that she did not listened to the question properly. Perhaps she thought the question was "According to the poll, why 1/5 of the world population do not know where the US is on the map"

Anyway it is still very funny. I love blonds so much..

Calling 911

2007-09-09T00:34:00.000+08:00

(Refer to video in the last post to get the references to this one)

I sometimes wonder ... how will her life be affected by it? Poor girl.

Miss Teen South Carolina

2007-09-07T22:48:00.000+08:00

Is very, very smart. Sigh.

You know what's the worst thing? She places third.

The Relationship Program

2007-09-03T22:25:00.000+08:00

I got this from a forwarded email. One of the few I actually bother opening. Hilarious. It's a problem with a program that maybe we should all learn from when we get the program/entertainment system =)

---
Celebrating 40 Years of Engineering Excellence

UPGRADE FROM BOYFRIEND TO HUSBAND

Dear IT Support,

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a slow down in the overall performance, particularly in the flower, gifts and jewellery applications that had operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0.

Romance 9.5

In addition, Husband 1.0 un-installed many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, but installed undesirable programs such as Formula One 5.0, NBA 3.0 and World Cup 2.0.

And now Conversation 8.0 no longer runs and House Cleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system. I've tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.

What can I do?

Signed,
Desperate Housewife

Reply:
Dear Desperate Housewife,

First keep in mind:
Boyfriend 5.0 is an entertainment package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system.

Try entering the command C:\ I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME and download
Tears 6.2 to install Guilt 3.0.

If all works as designed, Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewellery 2.0 and Flowers 3.5.

But remember, overuse can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5, Happy Hour 7.0 or Late Night Teh Tarik 6.1.

Late Night 6.1 is a very bad program that will create SnoringLoudly.wav files.

Whatever you do, DO NOT install Mother-in-Law 1.0 or reinstall another
Boyfriend program. These are not supported applications and will crash
Husband 1.0.

In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have a limited
memory and cannot learn new applications quickly.

You might consider additional software to improve memory and performance. I personally recommend Hot Tasty Food 3.0 and Tongkat Ali 6.9.

Good Luck,
IT Support

Cakes cakes cakes

2007-09-02T23:35:00.000+08:00

I realised it's been ages since I've posted a Makan post here in BUGS. Last time I used to have more of a predisposition towards savoury food, now I've developed quite a sweet tooth. Oh Mark & Spencers biscuits, why are you oh so tempting, milk chocolate digestives, jaffa cookies... Thank goodness they are only available at Suria KLCC and One Utama at KL.

Anyway, why is it I wonder, that the Secret Recipe in Kuching just isn't the same as the one at KL. I would have thought franchises have standards. Going to Secret Recipe at KL last week was a pleasant surprise, first the prices are lower than at Kuching. Secondly, they definitely have more variety. I tried this Raspberry Cheese Cake, it's the one on the right in the photo.

This variant we definitely do not find in Kuching. This was unexpectedly good, cheesy, raspberry goodness with a chocolatey base. On the left in the photo is Chocolate Indulgence that my brother insisted on ordering. Good also, but not my favourite. What I ordered was one of the "health cakes". I know I know.. you're thinking how can I go to Secret Recipe and order something like that? But it's seriously great, the low sugar Peach Cream Cake I ordered. There were pieces of "sweet but not too sweet" peaches in fluffy, light sponge cake and covered in a subtly sweet light meringue.

Then just on Friday, somehow ended up at Secret Recipe again, this time at Kuching. Somehow pales in comparison, or perhaps we chose the wrong type of cake. Had Marble Cheese and Carrot Cheese cake. My brother doesn't look like he's liking the cake that much in this photo, but that's just my offhand timing at taking this photo. He actually gobbled it up. Guys...

But after all that, I'd have to say this home-made cheese cake my friend made for another friend's birthday yesterday could give Secret Recipe a run for their money. Looks so good, you wouldn't have known it's home-made. I helped to cut it nicely... Unofficial cake cutter at birthdays. Haha. Training for future dissections?

Anyway, this cake also tasted as good as it looks. Chocolatey, peanut-buttery, cheesy sweetness. The birthday girl liked it so much she brought home the remainder not eaten. I guess she was also touched by the effort put into making the cake. See... it doesn't take that much money to touch a girl's heart, it takes effort. Haha.

The last two photos in this post were taken by my new SE W610i. It should do for now, before my camera comes back from the hospital.

Top Ten Signs you are Middle-Class

2007-09-01T09:36:00.000+08:00

10. Your motto is reduce, reuse and recycle

9. You don't like to spend money for whatever reasons

8. You don't like donating to charity because you think you are the person that really needs it

7. You hate Bill Gates and you don't know why

6. You buy Borneo Post instead of New Strait Times

5. You haven been flying MAS since Air Asia was founded

4. You only shop during 'MALAYSIA'S MEGA SALE IS BACK!'

3. You go to form 6

2. When it comes to buying a new car, the only brands you can think of is 'Proton and 'Perodua'.

1. You are actually checking yourself with those signs listed here!

Money is a very important issue for almost everyone, how much you have sometimes determine how people see you. Although it is not fair in every way, people learn to accept it. However I would like to think that just because you are born into a poor orphanage doesn't mean you cannot be one day successful. And even if you don't have a good education, it doesn't mean that you have to collect garbage and eat them until the day you die.

Obviously Bush don't care

2007-09-01T08:44:00.000+08:00

Saturday September 1, 2007

Bush memory fails him, he forgets PM has remarried

WASHINGTON: US President George W. Bush was delighted to learn that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has remarried.

In an interview with journalists from the Asia Pacific, including Bernama, on Thursday, Bush said:

“When his wife (the late Datin Seri Endon Mahmood) died, I tried to call him early just to let him know I cared about him.”

When told that Abdullah had remarried, Bush appeared surprised and said: “Has he? Good. I’ll congratulate him. Thanks for giving me that heads-up. I’m going to congratulate him. That’s neat.”

When told by his aide that he did congratulate the prime minister, Bush laughed at his memory lapse and said: “Exactly. I’m going to congratulate him again. I’ll double the congratulations.”

He later admitted that he had forgotten and asked his aide whether he had called or written a note to Abdullah. He was told that he had written a note.

“That’s right, yes. (I also) sent him a couple of flowers,” Bush said.

Abdullah and Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah were married on June 9. – Bernama

I wish...

2007-08-29T22:19:00.000+08:00

I was surfing friendster when I saw this on a page of some girl. It is shown under her "who I want to meet":

clickable

Learning from the words from the picture above, I learnt that I could never be her guy because the only thing I am capable of doing from her list is to 'make out in the pouring rain'.

Now that's not fair, if girls get to make their wish list on the perfect romantic imaginary guy they want to meet, we boys should also have the chance to write our own.

So here we go.

I want a Gurl.........

That can think rationally when they are not suppose to, especially towards the end of the month. PMS is not a valid reason to spend all my pocket money on a very expensive stuffed animal toy,the dog is cheaper, why choose the bear?

A gurl that will not expect me to 'move her hair away from her eyes and wrap my hands on her waist and kiss her from the back in motion with a bear hug ', it is very hard technically to do that in real life because one of my hand has to touch your head and the other your waist and to push myself to hug you from your back without rubbing my X to your X is nearly impossible, what more when all my friends are looking at me.

A gurl that would not call me 3 times a day, it is very annoying, can we just sms before sleep?

A gurl who will not tell EVERYTHING about me to her friends and smile about it, no, I have the right to keep quiet about my waistline and everything below it.

Please don't expect me to kiss you a million times, 1000000 is a huge number. I would have strike 100 times toto if I ever buy that amount of number of lottery ticket.

A gurl that would not force me to count stars with her, why don't we just count the moon?

Saying I love you loud and clear to you my gurl in front of my friends is sweet, but all my friends are leaving me because it makes them uncomfortable.

But mostly, I want someone who can have sex with me on top of the mountain in a thunderstorm. And forget about wish list, only Santa Clause will read such things and he doesn't exist. Go sleep lah.

Notice

2007-08-29T21:46:00.000+08:00

We do not encourage personal attacks in blog posts. It reeks of immaturity.

I have set the post on Tay to private, for the following reasons:

1, Tay had nothing to do with the comments, and there is no concrete evidence against him.

2, Said post was a personal attack, and it is akin in the blogosphere to a calling out. (back in the day of knights and kings calling out means a duel to the death).

3, Any personal problems should be settled personally, not through public attacks.

4, It does not provoke quality thought, opinion, or intelligent discourse.

Freedom of speech is cool, but only with mature reasoning behind it. The annonymity of the web does not excuse public flogging.

Thank you for reading BUGS. I take full responsibility for the said post, and I will take harder action the next time this happens.

Yours truly,
Eli James

Of Photo Opportunities Almost Missed and Eye Opening Experiences

2007-08-27T00:32:00.000+08:00

This was just one of those photography moments when you realise how much luck and chance play in capturing photos. Had I not raise my head after dragging my already worn out feet from Suria KLCC to the KL Convention Centre, had it not been for my mother who wanted to take a photo near that area... I may have missed this shoot.

I just LOVE this photo. In case you can't see it clearly, it's actually a photo of the famous Merdeka scene, with the man who fought for our nation's independence shouting "Merdeka!" on that fateful day, 31st August 1957, all this on the big glass windows of the Convention Centre. And there, reflected on the windows, are the tallest buildings of our country, the Petronas Twin Towers.

What an amazing difference between then and now, have we not come far? I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride of being Malaysian and all that, or perhaps it was also the realisation that this would have been something to share in this blog.

Just that afternoon, I reckon I was brainwashed a bit which led to such feelings, hehe. Whilst my parents were shopping at excruciating pace, my sister and I wandered the aforementioned shopping complex and by luck, again, we chanced upon an art exhibition held in conjunction with National Day at the Petronas Gallery, which I didn't even know existed. It was on the 3rd level, away from the crowds on one end of the shopping complex. Here, the dimmed lights and muted surroundings provided the environment to showcase the exhibitions which ranged from modern art, old school photographs made into collages, more traditional paintings, and a whole section about the buildings built when our country gained independence such as the Stadium Merdeka, House of Parliaments and National Museum. And there were cushy couches to sit on in a section too, bliss after a day's shopping.

There was even an art piece, with nothing but prose typed out, lamenting the state of literature in our country. I can't explain how exactly, but it was cool.

The whole experience was just so.. refreshing, for lack of a better word. That's what Malaysia really is about isn't it? A medley of varying experiences all in one place, and the exhibition being kind of a microcosm of it. Well, so ends my post, with a photo that I hope some may see meaning in as I have.

And do check out the exhibition if you can, it's on till the 30th of this month. It may be small, but hey, good things do come in small sizes too. Admission's free, in case anyone was wondering. Haha. We are Malaysians afterall.

why we should not say bad words

2007-08-26T22:09:00.000+08:00

Bad words are words that are very bad. We should all learn not say it. Or even better, we shud not learn bad words at all. Almost every langguage and dialects has their own bad words. Those words are usually connected to genitals of man and woman. Many times, they are also associated with sexual acts between both sexes. Bad words is a foul expression. It is usually used when someone is angry, or when he feels that it is funny using those words. In Malaysia and Singapore, one of the most common foul langguage among chinese is ciba*. It brings a crude meaning of the female's genital. This word is very so common it is regconised, we can actually find it in an online dictionary call 'urban dictionary'. Saying bad words is very bad because it degrades our values and brings down our image or reputation. Although some of you like me has no reputation or image, we shud also avoid using bad words. Becuz when you do that, some people are sensitive and it will hurt them. Using bad words also show that we are not welly educated, or we do not have moral values. Saying bad words also show that we cannot express correctly or in other words, we cannot find better words to project our mind but to use bad words. That is mainly becuz bad words can be versatile at times. For example: ciba* can be used as a noun, verb, adjective and adverb.In noun, despite of saying the correct terms for the female genital, crude and bad people just use ciba*. In adjective, despite of saying a person is disgusting or ugly, they say, ciba* bin. That is very very bad. From my experience, saying bad words does comes in as a good joke while conversing with ppl or writing an article. For example using the word Fuc*. But the downside is that, most ppl are very intrigued when u use that word. Like most religious ppl and also those that come from a good family. So the conclusion is, we should all try to avoid using bad words, because it is really bad. And whatever the situation, we shud always try not to use the F word. Even when u can make a very good sentence with it. Like: Fuc* you, I don give a damn Fuc* to your Fuc*ing problem because you had caused me so much trouble with ur Fuc*ed brain. Now this is very bad. We should all instead be polite and gentle and tell people properly. Like: I'm sorry, you have caused me a lot of problem with your problem. I am starting to get angry. See, isn't this better? My point is........

"Happy 50th Independence Day Malaysia"

In real life, I do not use bad words

.

UGS Gathering August 23rd 2007

2007-08-26T01:23:00.000+08:00

Looks like the BUGGERs are leaving the honours of blogging about the latest gathering to me. Firstly, thanks to the organiser Cedric and host Tay, without the two of them this gathering wouldn't have happened. And hey, you two do make a good team. :-P And of course, thanks to all the UGSers who helped made the gathering a success. I’m really so touched by all the effort put into this.

Since the gathering was held the evening that I just arrived from KL on a trip with my family, and Air Asia delayed the flight for almost an hour due to bad weather, needless to say, I was late. By the time I was there, it seemed that most of the eating had been done and they were just about finishing up. Daniel and Nicole were busy at the barbeque pit, even creating creations like marshmallow chicken, which really tastes better than it sounds, or looks. How dare Cedric say they looked like burnt condoms on chicken just as I was about to eat it. Haha. Roasted marshmallows taste really good by the way. Thanks to Kenny for buying the marshmallows all the way from KL, though I was just kidding when I suggested it, I didn’t think he would really do it.

Kids will be kids I guess, in this case big kids. And when kids eat, things are bound to get messy, right? We’re talking about spilled drinks, shrieks, insects falling into food, soft drink bottles shaked and conning people into opening them, spraying water at people while cleaning up. But it was sure funny to watch.

While some of the people still mucked about outside, some people suddenly caught the hardworking bug. Like this fellow BUGGER...

Attempting to do chemistry during a UGS gathering?!

Doing work on the computer during gathering?! Nah, in their case, they were just surfing the Internet.

When everything was kinda cleaned up, we proceeded to the living room to watch the video “Tai Lou” Kenny had made with his college mates.

Observe seating plan, intriguing.

After that, everything was kinda in a blur for me. Perhaps lack of sleep was getting to me. I remember Vivian and Sam scurrying into a room most suspiciously. I remember apple pie cutting, which ended up in Ced, Vivian and Nicole being locked into the kitchen area, and out of the house. I remember Kenny showing me and Angeline his before going to KL and after photos on his laptop, how different he looked back then. I remember Andrew complaining about people from school. I remember Sam serving the apple pie she made, which was really nice. I remember Kenny saying Nicole’s home-made brownies looked like earthquake, *They do not! And they taste good!* And then, there was Tay who put in the DVD for that horror movie SAW and skipping to the gory parts, thank goodness Cedric put an end to that.

Then suddenly out of nowhere, Sam pops up beside me, and an ominous feeling overcame me. Hehe. I knew something was up, rightly so. Moments later, when Sam had everybody’s attention, she popped the question. “What size bikini do you wear?”Like what?! I sure was slow that day, didn’t know how to answer such a question, quite taken aback too. Out of nowhere, a black MANGO bag appeared.

“Uhoh...”I thought. Finally, after teasing me enough, they handed me the bag, and I reached into it to reveal a....

YEP, that’s the bikini in the photo on the right. Daniel thought the same way as I did and suggested maybe it was those kinds of clothes that you soaked in water and it expanded. Haha. Okay, so it’s actually just a scented decorative item.

I also got a book from I think, the guys, Cedric, Paul, Tay. The biscuits, I’m taking a wild guess, is from Kenny? And the Micro SD card is from Andrew, Ben and Dwen. The bikini and lollipop are probably from the girls, Sam, Vivian and Nicole. Thank you all!

The note in the book, Aaawww...

Signatures of the UGSers who went for the gathering, also in the book

Signature of Ced and Tay side by side, so sweet.

Finally, the time came for the gathering to end. Just before I left, went to thank Ced and Tay for making the gathering happen. After Cedric hugged, he asked “Will we ever see you again?” To which I answered, “CHOI CHOI CHOI!” Which means touch wood. Ah, nothing can really keep me away from the Internet for long, and as long as I can get online, I will not be apart from UGS and UGSers. Thanks so much for everything. You will still be hearing from me, don’t worry, I will still blog whenever I can.

For those who are wondering, I’m leaving Kuching on 12^th of September. So, don’t say goodbye too early, I’m still in Kuching la, for now.

Kenny just blogged about this gathering to at his blog.

Observe

2007-08-24T18:45:00.000+08:00

Here we have the great Josh Groban

And here we have Mika.

Similarities anyone?
Mika is Josh Groban with a serious hangover.

Call the press!

Mika: Life in Cartoon Motion

2007-08-24T13:46:00.000+08:00

I was rendered speechless when I first saw Mika on tv.

All I saw is a skinny 20-ish guy with a big wavy shock of brown hair and skin tight clothes bouncing around. He's super hyper. Like a kid on a 24-hour sugar rush. It was a little - scary, for the lack of a better word.

But his songs started growing on me so I decided to get the CD for a change of taste from the mainstream music (read: manufactured pop, hiphop, rap and all those that people condemn oh-so-much but listen to as well) I feed my mind with. I was mildly surprised that the whole of Life in Cartoon Motion does not consist entirely of hyper-lala-along songs.

If you want a break from your normal taste in music, this is the CD to get. Listen to the 10 tracks on it and you'll find that Mika is just a singer/songwriter who writes and sings about, well, basically anything and everything under the sun. If there is one word I would use to describe his music, it would be honest. Because even though the lyrics and beats are repetitive, they speak to you with truth. The songs are easy to sing along to - that is, if you don't try to strain your vocal cords too much by trying to hit a note that is about two octaves higher than your normal pitch. And the beats get really addictive.

Grace Kelly is quirky but cute. Mika gets all crazy and colourful in his funky songs, Lollipop (which sounds like a cheerleading song), Love Today (which anyone can probably recognise from tv), and Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) (hats off to someone who would sing about big girls - how many have you seen so far anyway?). Relax (Take It Easy) is simply what the title implies while Stuck in the Middle has an repetitive accompaniment that gets you addicted after a while. He also has slow songs which, I suppose, most would consider to be more inclined to the "normal" side. My Interpretation is a song that is easy to relate to. Any Other World and Billy Brown are nice on the ears with easy beats. Happy Ending gives an appropriate ending to the album, with its simple message of one that is jaded and resigned to a not so happy ending. There is also a hidden track in the CD if you listen close enough.

With an album cover like this and such happifying songs, I would say that Life in Cartoon Motion is definitely worth buying.

Booker Prize Longlist (Malaysia Boleh!)

2007-08-21T08:50:00.001+08:00

Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng's The Gift Of Rain recently made it into the Booker Prize longlist, much to my (and to all other Malaysian litbloggers') delight. Sharon Bakar has been making it a point to plough through the entire series of books in the hopes of finishing it before the shortlist comes out, though she thinks she won't be able to make it.

But here's an interesting thing: Tan Twan Eng is based in South Africa. Yes, he does come back to Malaysia, but the fact remains he is overseas for a good part of his time, and his book was published by Myrmidon Books Ltd (certainly not local!).

If you recall, the other great book to be written by a Malaysian in recent times was Tash Aw's The Harmony Silk Factory, which sparked off a bidding war, was nominated for the IMPAC Dublin award, and went on to become an international bestseller.

It's also a very good book (I read it when I was supposed to be studying for the SPM *yikes*).

So no surprise as Silverfish clobbers most of the local authors on the head in his post on Twan Eng's book:

While basking in the glow of vicarious glory, one cannot help but notice something: all these writers live outside the country. Why? Are Malaysians only able to get anything done when they leave the country? One can't help feeling that there are so many more successful Malaysians outside the country than inside.

Ouchies.

And then - even better:

... Is the lack of Malaysian writings the fault of our education system, then? Sure. Who hasn't heard of the many disturbing stories about our schools and the teachers? If it is, then how does one explain the writers mentioned above? Did they not attend the same local schools when they were here? Maybe they went overseas for their tertiary education, one might say. That could be it. But then how does that explain the 'failure' of those who come back from overseas after their education? No stimulus? No peers to push them on? It cannot be that we have no talent. The writers mentioned above were born here too.

Double ouchies.

Sharon, to her credit, goes on to provide reasons for this writing drought back home. The one that interests me the most is this:

Some go because ... and this is the controversial one that will have me clapped in irons ... Malaysia - let's face it - has a wonderful knack of stifling creativity.

In an environment where freedom of expression is seriously curtailed, where books and films are banned and restricted, where politicians take offense at satire, where Malay filmmakers and authors are harangued for letting the race down, where folks of different races do not feel they have an equal stake in the future of the country, where gays and lesbians face discrimination, where Malay women writers who dare write their mind have their websites hacked and receive death threats ... is it any wonder that authors look for a place where they can create without fear of censure? You see, everything is connected. One very prominent Malay writer told me that his most prized possession is his passport, and he's ready to leave if the current political and social environment becomes anymore restrictive.

It sounds depressing, yet there are writers out there who manage to produce work locally. Kam Raslan is one - publishing a cheeky commentary on Malaysian life (and getting away with it), and Sharon recognizes a great pool of young Malaysian talent whom she has met through blogs and writing courses.

Here's a shoutout to all you closet writers (coughincludingmecough). We just might be the answer to our country's creativity drought ... once our work is out there for people to read. So sharpen your pencils and take out your books. Write and write and write ... and get published.

Because, failing that, we'll all need tickets to South Africa.

Who's willing to sponsor mine?

Goodbye Malaysia

2007-08-18T17:32:00.000+08:00

Well so much for Malaysia and the WBC. Better luck next time.

Pimp BUGS?

2007-08-18T00:44:00.000+08:00

I saw this on Smashpop today, and I wondered, can we, should we, nominate The Undergroundsquare Blog for this pimp?

The prizes seem good, new blog header designed by Smashpop himself, being featured on his blog, a badge to show that you're pimped, a music player, not to mention the publicity. But that's for 1st prize. Now, if we wanted to do this, it would really take a lot of cooperation. All the UGSers that blog putting up the Pimp badge on their personal blogs for starts, and getting other people to help too. Well, what do you fellow BUGGERs think?

Read up on the post for details and how the contest works.

Patriotisme of a Little Kid

2007-08-16T22:42:00.000+08:00

My mum told me what happened in her school last week. It was so funny I can't help but tell it here. Let's see if it has the same effect. The cuteness of little kids. ----

She was hanging up flags to celebrate National Day when one of her students, a little boy suddenly came up to her and asked her what she was doing.

"Hanging flags."
"What are flags?"
"These. Here, you see. These are our Sarawak flag and Malaysian Flag".

It's kind of hard, to explain the concept of a flag to a 4 year old kid. So at the end of her diluted explanation of what a flag stood for, the kid just stared.

"It's to celebrate Hari Merdeka. Malaysia being free !"

The little kid FINALLY got the "gist " of it and exclaimed.

"OHHHH!!! Malaysia Boleh hia?"
--------

This is what good advertising of catchphrases such as Malaysia Boleh does to kids.

Mind Over Matter

2007-08-14T11:31:00.000+08:00

There are some things that you discover and just go, “That really exists?!”. The following is one of such, for me.

While working, I came across a term in one of the training programme notes organized by the company, NLP. After Googling it, I realised that it was really quite a fancy acronym for something that basically meant Hypnosis. Yes, the power of unlocking minds and using the hidden potential. I don’t know about you, but it seems scary to me.

NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming. From it’s quite scientific, technical sounding name, you would have hardly thought it could mean something as dubious as hypnotherapy. From what I’ve read, its methods are even used in sales. As if the methods they use aren’t sneaky enough.

Here’s a bit of what I read that I couldn’t get out of my mind.

It was describing a method in which salespeople can use to garner positive response from the customer. When the salesperson has made the customer laugh at something, he/she can put his/her finger lightly on the arm of the customer, for 2 seconds. Why 2 seconds? Because that’s typically how long the laughter would last, any longer and the customer may be disturbed. (See? They have even got this down to a science.)
After repeating the process effectively for some time, when the salesperson just touches his/her finger lightly on the customer’s arm, it is said to invoke the same positive response and the customer would laugh, regardless of whether what the salesperson said is really that amazingly funny.

This method involves the using of what is called in psychology, “Anchoring”. I’ll quote from Wikipedia..

Anchoring is a neuro-linguistic programming term for the process by which memory recall, state change or other responses become associated with (anchored to) some stimulus, in such a way that perception of the stimulus (the anchor) leads by reflex to the anchored response occurring.

So what now? Are you telling me that the power of sub-conscious is so strong that I can be affected without even being aware of it? That’s a very scary thought.

What if the leaders of the world became masters at this methods of “hypnosis”, could they effectively brainwash an entire population? What if people could be suckered into buying a car they couldn’t afford through this? What if someone who meant to harm could drive another person into depression which led to suicide?

It all sounds a little vague here, but there’s actually a lot of “mind programming” going on in our lives, whether or not we are aware of it. The mass media, advertisements, propaganda. I need not say more.

Well, there are some benefits if you can properly apply NLP and put it to good, ethical use. It seems quite extensive, and the methods basically relate to psychology. Like mind over matter, “telling yourself you can do it, then you can do it”, all those.

I admit that I do not fully understand this topic yet, and if there are any factual errors in my post, I'm terribly sorry. However, I still would take anything I hear about like this with a pinch of salt. It’s a dangerous world out there, watch your back.

Love is in the air..

2007-08-12T23:04:00.000+08:00

In life, there are many kinds of loves, as there are many kinds of shoes. Here’s a list on the types of shoes in life and indirectly, the types of loves.

1. Stilettos

They look insanely hard to walk in, and indeed they are. But when you put them on, the attention you attract makes you feel on top of the way. You feel more confident, more alive, more outgoing even. The sexiness it exudes just gives off “Don’t mess with me” vibes. Some love partners are like stilettos, being with them puts you in the scene, but as with stilettos, they really can cause major aches in the long term so you can’t always wear stilettos.

2. Pumps

Pumps are basically shoes that cover all round and have a heel. Typically for formal wear, so conservative that even your mother would approve. Sure they are some that look nicer, but basically they are typically thought of as for more mature tastes.

3. Slippers

Fun and comfortable. Who doesn’t like slippers? Nice to wear on a day at the beach or just taking a leisurely stroll on a summer day. But can you wear them to a formal event, to the office, to meet the parents? Not exactly…

4. Sneakers/Sport Shoes

The rush of freedom and the “I can do anything” vibe when you wear these shoes is just exhilarating. Just putting them on already makes you feel sporty and ready to go. You feel like you can go on forever in them. But can you really?

5. Bedroom slippers

You just get so comfortable with bedroom slippers that you just don’t want to change them sometimes. But there’s a reason why bedroom slippers don’t see much daylight, they are not exactly something you would want to be seen out and about in. Less you are into the kitsch, kawaii look or something.

6. Strappy Heels

Strappy Heels are oh so beautiful but oh so heartbreaking as well. Few can stand them for long, though they do make you feel wonderful while you are wearing them. Typical evening out fare, you can’t really do without at least one strappy heels in your life. But wear them out and about during the day and you risk getting serious feet ache or zebra tan lines.

So you can see, there is nothing such as the perfect shoe, as there is nothing such as the perfect love. People have different prefences, and sometimes we don’t always make the right choices. I, for one, tend to always fall for the same type of shoes. Go figure what that says about the affairs of my heart. Haha. Anyway, here’s to rounding up yet another spur of the moment post. Hope everyone has a great week ahead, which would hopefully put people in a good blogging mood! :-)

2007-08-11T15:47:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time I read a manga titled Anatolia Story. Well, actually now it's known as By The Red River as it has been renamed by the American publisher, Viz. It is a story of how a highschool girl, Yuuri, was brought to the past by the power of the evil Queen Nakia, wife to the current ruler of the Hittite Empire (modern day Turkey). Queen Nakia wanted her as a sacrifice to her deity so that her young child, the 6th prince will become the next king of the empire. However Yuuri was saved by the 4th prince, Kail. So then starts a story of romance and adventure as Yuuri tries to make her way back to modern Japan while dealing with her love for Prince Kail. By The Red River is 28 volumes long, and is written by Shinohara Chie, also famous for her romance mangas.

While browsing through MangaUpdates, a website with information on mangas, I came across Kanata Kara, or From Far Away. Since it was recommended for lovers of By The Red River I decided to read it. Written by Hikawa Kyoko, this manga has 14 volumes. The story is almost similar: Noriko, a highschool girl, found herself in a different world when the train she was on got bombed. She was saved by a warrior, Izark, when attacked by worm-like creatures. Little did she know that she was the Awakening who would one day awaken the sky demon. Many countries are trying to find her in order to control the sky demon and become powerful. So starts Noriko's and Izark's journey to escape from her pursuers and to resolve the mystery of the sky demon.

My school

2007-08-11T10:41:00.000+08:00

Kuching Town No.1 is one of the unacknowledged best school in Kuching. It is known for its notorious and smart students. Now it is easy to find smart student just as it is easy to find notorious ones, but we are the only school that can combine these two excellent qualities into one stud. And that has made us No.1 for the past 30 years.

Among the two outstanding students that graduated from that school are firstly the popular singer

Lin Yu Zhong

And of course the Times awarded one of the 100 most influential people of the world, Andrew Ho

No Kidding, I was so popular, students from other schools can't help but make me their role model. For example, Tay, my fan from St Thomas could not stop talking about my ass in school he carries a big sign around saying it.

I wanted to post some pictures of the school, but failed to get a permit from the school board. They told me that this blog has not meet the ISO standards so bopien lor cannot post it up here. However having heard that my school, my class, the block me and Yu Zhong used to study in was burnt down 2 months ago, I managed to sneaked in and caught some of the best pictures that I would like to share.

This was the block I used to study in

This was the my class

And this was where I first had sex

It feels funny now they're all burnt down............. but no matter what may change, some things remain the same.... fuck lah.

As for now, I have left Kuching Town No.1 and studying in another lousy school.

But even so, we would always bear in mind, the things that we learnt and carry on the humble, serious, commited and dedicated attitude in pursuing knowledge, wherever we, graduates of Kuching Town No.1 are.

To prove that, this is my current form 6 class.

A Child's Guide To United States Foreign Policy

2007-08-10T16:25:00.000+08:00

This piece is currently floating around cyberspace.

Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?

A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction honey.

Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.

A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.

Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?

A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.

Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?

A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll find something, probably right before the 2004 election.

Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?

A: To use them in a war, silly.

Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them?

A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.

Q: That doesn't make sense Daddy. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons to fight us back with?

A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.

Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those weapons our government said they did.

A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.

Q: And what was that?

A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.

Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?

A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.

Q: Kind of like what they do in China?

A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.

Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?

A: Right.

Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?

A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.

Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?

A: I told you, China is different.

Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?

A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.

Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?

A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.

Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?

A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.

Q: Like in Iraq?

A: Exactly.

Q: And like in China, too?

A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.

Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?

A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being communists and started being capitalists like us.

Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?

A: Don't be a smart-ass.

Q: I didn't think I was being one.

A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.

Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?

A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.

Q: What's a military coup?

A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.

Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?

A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.

Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?

A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.

Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?

A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.

Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?

A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.

Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?

A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men, fifteen of them Saudi Arabians, hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.

Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?

A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.

Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?

A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.

Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?

A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.

Q: Fighting drugs?

A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.

Q: How did they do such a good job?

A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.

Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?

A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.

Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?

A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.

Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?

A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.

Q: What's the difference?

A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.

Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.

A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends.

Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.

A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.

Q: Who trained them?

A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.

Q: Was he from Afghanistan?

A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man.

Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.

A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.

Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about?

A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.

Q: So the Soviets ? I mean, the Russians ? are now our friends?

A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.

Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?

A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.

Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what we want them to do?

A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.

Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?

A: Well, yeah. For a while.

Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?

A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily.

Q: Why did that make him our friend?

A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.

Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?

A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.

Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend?

A: Most of the time, yes.

Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?

A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.

Q: Why?

A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a godless un-American Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?

Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?

A: Yes.

Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?

A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do.

Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?

A: Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.

Top 5 ways to curb Internet addiction/Tales of a Friday afternoon

2007-08-06T21:30:00.000+08:00

Top 5 ways to curb Internet addiction

“Forget” to pay the Internet bills.
Sabotage your computer and/or laptop, or if you can’t bring yourself to do that, hand it to someone for safe keeping.
Get a life.
Have someone change your Internet password and not let you know about it
Subscribe to Streamyx, our nation’s number 1 Internet service provider, unbeatable Internet access speeds and reliability!

It doesn’t take much to figure out from point number 5 why I have not been able to blog at all last week. Here’s to hoping I can post this up.

Anyway, what do you get when you put three UGSers together in one car?

One who knows the directions, already has a real driving license but does not drive.
One who doesn’t know directions, has a probationary driving license but is appointed driver.
One who is okay with directions, okay with driving, but chooses to sit at the back perusing The Wings, St Mary’s school bulletin.

Well, the above was the case on Friday, after watching The Simpsons and headed for dessert at Sunny Hill after lunch. By the way, the movie was really funny and I probably would have been missing out on watching the best movie this… season(??) if it weren’t for someone’s persuading. I’m really not that keen on The Simpsons. Hence the movie was a delightful surprise.

Okay, back to the point, the driving. I have to admit it’s the first time in my life I have sat in a car with two other guys and end up being the one giving directions. (Yes, I am the one who has a license but does not drive *blush*) Of course, no fault of the driver, we do thank him very much. Without whom we wouldn’t have been able to carry out phase two of the afternoon, and eat ice-cream which has the consistency of mousse. Haha. All in all, Friday afternoon well spent, away from the office.

5 Centimeters Per Second

2007-08-06T02:38:00.001+08:00

Rarely do I come across movies which I feel compelled to blog about, much less animes. But this time, I just can't ignore the urge.

5 Centimeters Per Second - simply the best anime movie I've ever seen. It's so beautiful in so many ways. The art is nothing short of breathtaking, the soundtrack is amazing but most of all - the storyline is delivered in such a delicate yet powerful way.

Of all the animes I've watched, nothing comes close to this in terms of production quality. Every frame is meticulously drawn, almost never recycling scenes like how many other animes do. Many of the scenes were based on real-world locations, and utterly I'm amazed by how much detail the artists of 5 Centimeters Per Second managed to capture.

The soundtrack left me hopelessly addicted to the movie. Playing it over and over again just to listen to the incredibly beautiful tracks. The music blends so well into the movie, and it inevitably injects much of the emotion that the movie aims to present.

"A chain of short stories about their distance". This movie is literally painful to watch. Every minute was heartrending. It portrays the bittersweet lives that many can relate to. It's frighteningly real. It doesn't end with a simple "... and they lived happily ever after". That only happens in fairytales. It illustrates how much lives can change through time and distance. How much distance can mean so much, yet so little.

It might be an anime, but it's on a whole different level.

The last 5 minutes of the one-hour long movie were filled with as much emotion as the entire hour itself. So very many scenes, flashing by so quickly, barely having enough time to digest them. Such a short period, yet so much happened. Every scene is masterfully, never aimlessly , crafted. Every second meant something. If a picture is worth a thousand words, by the end of the 5 minutes you'd have a novel.

That 5 minutes alone, will keep you wondering for the next 5 days.

5 Centimeters Per Second is painful to watch, but never have I come across pain as beautiful as this.